Russian charter flights to Ho Chi Minh City to resume in October

Russian charter flights to Ho Chi Minh City to resume in October

Russian tourists on the beach in Mui Ne, Binh Thuan Province. Photo: Mi Mi

A Vietnamese-Russian venture has announced it will resume charter flights from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City to meet the high travel demand in winter.

Hoang Thi Phong Thu, chairwoman of Pegas Travel Vietnam, said the service will be available from October 20 with three flights a day, using Boeing 767 and 777 airplanes.

The company, a venture between Vietnamese firm Anh Duong Company and Russian partner Pegas Touristik, aims to attract more tourists in the coming travel season.

“Most tourists will visit resorts in the beach town of Phan Thiet before visiting Ho Chi Minh City for 2 days. Others booked tours to the resort town of Phu Quoc in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang,” Thu was quoted by news website Saigon Times Online as saying.

Last year, Pegas Touristik sent 196,000 Russian tourists to Vietnam, an increase from over 156,000 in 2013. About half of Russian visitors to Vietnam bought the firm’s tours.

“The Russian market is still in difficulties. The ruble is still dropping against the US dollar and it is difficult to attract tourists. But we will try to maintain a number that is not too low than last year,” Thu said.

Pegas has suspended charter flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Phu Quoc since early this year due to a significant drop in the number of Russian tourists due to a decline of the ruble.

Russian charter flights to Ho Chi Minh City to resume in October Related image(s)