HANOI, June 22 (Bernama-VNA/VNS) -- Vietnam is embarking on the largest expansion of its aviation infrastructure in decades, as the Government looks to support ambitious economic growth targets, strengthen regional connectivity, enhance national competitiveness and accommodate rising demand for air travel.
The Ministry of Construction is reviewing adjustments to the national airport development plan for 2030 (with a vision to 2050) that would increase the number of airports nationwide from the current 22 to 32 by 2030 and 35 by 2050, Vietnam News Agency reported.
The review comes as Vietnam seeks to align its transport infrastructure with a new phase of economic development after the historic administrative merger, with aviation increasingly identified as a key enabler of trade, tourism and investment, particularly as the country targets double-digit growth in the next five years.
Vietnam's airports currently handle more than 100 million passengers annually, but several major gateways, including Tan Son Nhat, Da Nang and Cam Ranh, have been operating above their designed capacity for years.
Meanwhile, air transport demand is forecast to continue growing rapidly in the next few years.
According to the ministry, with a double-digit economic growth target, annual passenger traffic is projected to exceed 191 million by 2030, representing average growth of about 9.7 per cent per year through 2030.
Air cargo throughput is forecast to reach around 3.75 million tonnes annually by 2030, with average growth of approximately 19.3 per cent per year.
-- BERNAMA-VNA/VNS
