India resumes flights to Vietnam

India’s largest airline IndiGo reopened flights to Vietnam from May 23, with a frequency of 5 flights a week, on two routes from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Kolkata.

From Kolkata, Vietnamese tourists easily catch a plane to the main cities of India such as Delhi, Mumbai, Gaya, Varanasi, Chennai and Bengaluru with many flights a day. Weekly flights between Vietnam and India will cater to travelers who want to experience the history of Buddhism and the connection between India and Vietnam.

Flight time from Vietnam to India is about five hours. Vietnamese tourists entering India currently only need to certify that they have had two doses of the vaccine, make a medical declaration within 72 hours, and make an e-visa. Get the visa in three working days.

Sanjay Kumar, the airline’s Chief Strategy and Revenue Officer, hopes the restoration of routes will strengthen India’s international connections, as well as boost tourism activities that have been halted due to the pandemic. “We are committed to delivering affordable fares, punctuality, and courteous service to our customers across the network,” said Mr. Kumar.

In the field of tourism, Vietnam and India have great potential for development cooperation. In the period 2016-2019, Vietnamese tourists to India increased by an average of 17% per year, while Indian tourists to Vietnam increased by 25%. In 2019, the exchange of visitors between the two countries has reached nearly 200,000. The Indian tourist market has risen to the top 16 markets with the highest number of international visitors to Vietnam in 2019. Currently, India is the market that Vietnam aims to develop. It is expected that by the end of 2022, the number of two-way visitor exchanges will reach half a million.

Phuong Anh