A charter flight from Russia arrives at Cam Ranh International Airport near Nha Trang City (Khánh Hòa Province) on Monday, marking a resumption after a three-year hiatus. VNA/VNS Photo

KHÁNH HÒA – A charter flight carrying 231 passengers from Russia arrived at Cam Ranh International Airport near Nha Trang on Monday, marking a return after a three-year hiatus.

Direct flights from Russia to the central coastal province of Khánh Hòa were suspended primarily due to that country’s conflict with Ukraine.

The Russian Government also instructed airlines to limit outbound flights following sanctions imposed by the US and other western countries in March 2022.

During the period Russian tourists were transiting in Kazakhstan or China to travel to Khánh Hòa.

The passengers aboard the Azur Air LLC flight from Irkutsk International Airport were welcomed on arrival with a water salute and traditional lion dance performance.

The province Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Anex Việt Nam Travel and Trading Co. Ltd. also gave them gifts.

They would stay for five nights in Khánh Hòa and explore Nha Trang’s attractions, the department said.

Cung Quỳnh Anh, its deputy director, said their visit would help promote Khánh Hòa as a hospitable and friendly destination, attracting more foreign visitors.

Nguyễn Đức Tấn, general director of Anex Việt Nam, said his company plans to resume charter flights from 11 Russian cities to Nha Trang, including Moscow, Ekaterinburg, Khabarovsk, Vladivostok, Barnaul, Krasnoyarsk, Novosibirsk, Irkutsk, Tomsk, Novokuznetsk, and Blagoveshchensk.

Between April and June there would be 50-55 flights a month, and from July onwards there would be 90-100, he added.

In the first two months of this year Khánh Hòa received 24,000 Russian tourists, a 73 per cent jump from the same period last year.

The number is expected to increase thanks to more charter flights. – VNS