The inaugural Vietnam Airlines flight, VN621, arrived at Phuket International Airport at 5:50pm yesterday (July 2), carrying 152 passengers aboard an Airbus A321.
A welcoming ceremony at the airport was attended by Phuket Vice Governor Suwit Phansengiam, representing Governor Chotinrin Kerdsum, alongside Vietnamese Ambassador to Thailand Pham Viet Hung.
Also present were Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) Deputy Governor for Asia and South Pacific Markets Patranong Na Chiangmai, Vietnam Airlines General Manager Ngo Tri Hung and representatives from government and the tourism industry.
The new service follows the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between TAT and Vietnam Airlines on May 28 to jointly promote tourism and improve air connectivity between the two countries.
Vietnam Airlines will operate the Ho Chi Minh City-Phuket route four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
TAT Deputy Governor Patranong said the new route was aimed at expanding the market for ‘quality tourists’ from Vietnam while making travel to Phuket more convenient, particularly during the June-August peak travel season for Vietnamese visitors to Thailand.
“The opening of this flight route is the result of cooperation between TAT and Vietnam Airlines to expand the market for quality tourists and increase travel convenience,” she said.
TAT believes Vietnam represents one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing outbound tourism markets, driven by an expanding middle class and increasing demand for international travel.
To build on the launch of the new route, TAT’s Ho Chi Minh City office will host an agent and media familiarisation trip to Phuket from July 7-11, bringing 20 Vietnamese tour operators and media representatives to experience the island’s tourism products and services.
The programme will also include business matching sessions between Thai and Vietnamese tourism operators aimed at expanding commercial opportunities and strengthening confidence in Phuket as an international destination.
Officials said the new route also supports wider efforts to improve regional air connectivity within ASEAN and coincides with celebrations marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Thailand and Vietnam.
According to TAT, Vietnamese visitors to Phuket include families, couples and higher-spending travellers, making the market an increasingly important target for the island’s tourism industry.
The tourism authority is continuing to promote its ‘Thailand – Càng Hiểu Càng Yêu’ (‘The More You Know, The More You Love’) campaign in Vietnam, highlighting Thailand as a safe, value-for-money destination offering quality travel experiences.
TAT is also working with Vietnamese tourism partners to develop promotional campaigns and tour packages as it pursues its target of welcoming 689,000 Vietnamese visitors to Thailand during 2026.
The new direct service is expected to provide a further boost to Phuket’s tourism sector by improving accessibility from one of the region’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets while reinforcing the island’s position as a regional aviation and tourism hub.