The Ministry of Transport has announced the upgrading of Quang Ninh Airport to Van Don International Airport, like Phu Quoc.
The scale of investments for the project was adjusted, increasing from VND7,500 billion (about $330 million) to more than VND12,215 billion (about US$537 million). By 2020, over VND6,303 billion (about $277 million) will be invested; from 2020 to 2025, over VND1,501 billion will follow (roughly $66 million), and by 2030, over VND 4,413 billion (about $194 million) will be poured into the project.
According to the adjusted plan, the passenger station is adjusted into two independent components, of which Terminal 1 with the designed capacity of 2.5 million passengers per year. The domestic terminal is now changed into an international terminal. The aircraft parking area will have at least six parking spaces and a reserved ground for expansion if necessary.
It is expected that by July 2018, Van Don International Airport will receive pilot flights, and by August, it will have been put into commercial operation.
As explained by the Ministry of Transport, this change came from the decision of the Government given the goal of turning Van Don to become an administrative-economic special unit of Vietnam and building a domestic airport for Van Don was no longer suitable.
Van Don is close to large markets, not only Hanoi, Haiphong and Halong, but also in ASEAN and some Asian countries. Within a four- to five-hour flight radius, Van Don can reach about 3.5 billion people, 17% of which is from ASEAN countries, equivalent to $22 billion of GDP.
Within a four- to five-hour driving radius, Van Don approaches a market of 23 million people, 23% of which are from China, and the remaining 77% came from Vietnam, equivalent to $62 billion of GDP.
Road infrastructure connected with Van Don is also being constructed such as the Ha Long - Hai Phong, Ha Long - Van Don expressway. Bach Dang bridge, connected to the Ha Noi - Hai Phong expressway, will reduce the travelling time from Hanoi to Van Don by half, which is less than two hours.
Quang Ninh has recently launched a land clearance project to construct Van Don - Mong Cai expressway.
Most of the investments in Van Don now focus on tourism and recreation to take advantage of Van Don's location and its Bai Tu Long National Park. Therefore, upgrading Van Don into an international airport will open the door for international visitors.
