Terminal No 2 is put into operation at Phú Bài International Airport in Thừa Thiên Huế province. The terminal helps increase the capacity of hosting 5 million tourists per year. Photo courtesy of Trần Hữu Thuỳ Giang

THỪA THIÊN-HUẾ — Terminal No 2 has been put into operation at the provincial International Phú Bài Airport after three years of construction, promising a capacity of hosting 5 million passengers per year.

The provincial people’s committee said the terminal would serve increasing demand of travellers in high-tourism season and a series of art programmes and performances of the Huế crafts festival and May Day vacation.

The terminal, which was invested by the Airports Corporation of Việt Nam at a cost of VNĐ2.2 trillion (US$88 million), was designed with the architecture of the royal court.

It has eight parking lots and a runway allowing for Airbus A320, A321, A350 and Boeing 787.

The airport, 15km from Huế, will be upgraded in the second phase to receive 9 million passengers in 2030 and six more parking lots.

Local airlines including Vietnam Airlines, Pacific Airlines, Vietjet Air and Bamboo Airways are operating domestic routes from Huế to Hà Nội, HCM City, Hải Phòng, Phú Quốc and Đà Lạt.

Meanwhile, the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines, Thai Airways, Japan Airlines and China Airlines help connect Huế to Bangkok, Thailand; Bali, Indonesia; Beijing, mainland China; Osaka, Japan and Taipei, Taiwan.

The province has been working with local airlines in promoting more international flights linking Huế with the Middle East, Thailand, Australia, Japan and China in the coming years.

The province hosted two million tourists, of which 260,000 were foreigners, in 2022.

Last year, the province and Vietnam Airlines agreed a comprehensive cooperation deal in 2022-26, aiming at promoting destinations, tourism and investment.

Vietnam Airlines helps boost destinations, trade and investment and cultural programmes of Thừa Thiên Huế through its air service worldwide, calling for investment in the tourism hub. VNS