A seaplane of Hai Au Aviation.
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According to Chairman of Quang Ninh Province People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Long, this seaplane flight route would contribute to diversifying tourism products in line with the province’s development strategy of becoming an international-class tourism hub.
He asked the provincial Department of Transport to study the project of building a runway for small-sized planes on Co To Island and asked relevant authorities to create appropriate conditions for the operation of the seaplane route.
Early this month, Hai Au Aviation proposed a seaplane flight from Ha Long’s Tuan Chau International Passenger Port to Co To Island, to be opened in the summer of 2018.
The company plans to use a 12-seat seaplane, which would take some 15-17 minutes to complete the journey. Passengers would also get an opportunity to enjoy the view of Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays from high up.
Co To Island District’s authorities agreed with Hai Au Aviation’s proposal but called for more in-depth studies about the weather, parking space for the seaplane and technical infrastructure for the operation of this flight route. The company is also seeking approval for the expansion of its seaplane flights to other islands, including Minh Chau, Quan Lan and Ngoc Vung.
The northeastern border province of Quang Ninh attracted more than 8.6 million tourists in the first ten months of 2017, including nearly 3.4 million foreigners, year-on-year jumps of 18 percent and 21 percent, respectively. In 2017, Quang Ninh aims to serve 8.5 million visitors, including 3.5 million foreigners, and earn 13 trillion VND (572 million USD) in revenue.
The number of visitors to the province’s Ha Long Bay increased 25 percent to reach 3.2 million by the end of October, including about 2.1 million international tourists (up 26 percent against the same period last year).
