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| Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang - Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee speaking at the program |
The program was held as an important networking platform for local authorities, tourism businesses, aviation stakeholders, and travel partners from both countries to discuss the potential and demand for new air routes, as well as opportunities for tourism cooperation in the new period. The event took place as Vietnam and China are stepping up tourism collaboration following the official launch of the “Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Years 2026-2027”, a joint initiative expected to create new growth opportunities for destinations and tourism enterprises in both countries.
The program brought together representatives from government agencies, tourism businesses, and aviation companies from both Vietnam and China.
At the conference, participants discussed the recovery and growth prospects of the international tourism market, the rising demand for air travel between Vietnam and China, and solutions to maximize the effectiveness of newly launched air routes in the coming time. ACV representatives presented an overview of Vietnam’s airport infrastructure and operational capacity, highlighting the significant potential of regional international airports to expand direct international flight routes.
Representing Hue City, Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Vice Chairman of the City People’s Committee, highlighted the city’s key advantages in tourism and aviation development. With 8 cultural heritage elements recognized by UNESCO, along with distinctive tourism assets such as Lang Co Bay, Tam Giang - Cau Hai Lagoon system, a rich cultural heritage, renowned culinary traditions, and a growing portfolio of wellness and resort tourism products, Hue is steadily strengthening its position as one of Vietnam’s most attractive destinations for international visitors.
Beyond its tourism appeal, Hue is also supported by an improving transport network, including Phu Bai International Airport and Chan May Port. Its strategic location along the East-West Economic Corridor further enhances connectivity, creating favorable conditions for the development of transportation networks and international links.
Speaking at the event, Vice Chairman Tran Huu Thuy Giang noted that China remains one of Hue’s most promising international visitor markets. Typically, in 2024, the city welcomed nearly 16,000 Chinese visitors. This figure witnessed a rise to 21,154 in 2025, marking significant year-on-year growth. In the first 5 months of 2026 alone, Hue received over 11,000 Chinese tourists. The Vice Chairman stressed that these positive indicators underscore the substantial potential for Hue to further expand its presence in the Chinese market and develop tourism products tailored to the demands and expectations of Chinese travelers.
In recent years, Hue has welcomed charter flights linking the city with several destinations in China, including Kunming and Shenzhen…, contributing to the growth of Chinese visitor arrivals to Hue Ancient Capital. These services have provided an important foundation for Hue to continue working with airlines, travel agencies, and charter flight providers to explore the expansion of direct air routes between the city and major economic and tourism hubs across China. The city is also seeking to develop specialized tourism packages tailored to the preferences of Chinese travelers.
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| Mr. Tran Huu Thuy Giang, Vice Chairman of Hue City People’s Committee, presenting delegates with Cattail conical hats and handbags, a typical handicraft of Hue Ancient Capital |
Later the same day, Hue City delegation also had a meeting with representatives of Shanghai Boxi Aviation Technology Co., Ltd., the leading provider of charter flight services for Chinese tourists traveling to Vietnam, and Spring International Travel Service, one of the leading travel agencies in Shanghai, known for its long-standing expertise in China’s domestic and outbound tourism markets.
The discussions focused on evolving the trends of travel among Chinese visitors, particularly the demand for cultural experiences, leisure and wellness tourism, MICE travel, and community-based ecotourism. The two sides also examined opportunities to organize a destination familiarization survey (Famtrip), enhance cooperation between travel agencies, attract Chinese visitor groups to Hue in 2026, and arrange flight services connecting the destination in early 2027.
The working sessions with aviation stakeholders, travel agencies, and Chinese market operators marked another step in Hue’s efforts to broaden its international connectivity, enhance destination promotion, and introduce its signature tourism products to potential partners. These activities also provided an opportunity for the city to gain deeper insights into market trends and the evolving preferences of Chinese travelers, while strengthening cooperation in tourism and aviation with this potential market. These efforts are expected to lay the groundwork for future charter flight services and support the long-term goal of establishing direct international commercial air routes to Hue.