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Lam Vien Square in Xuan Huong Ward, Da Lat. Photo: Duy Hieu. |
From 00:00 on March 4th to 23:59 on August 25th, Lien Khuong International Airport will be closed for upgrades and repairs.
According to statistics from the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the airport serves 34-36 flights daily, with over 5,200 passengers arriving and departing. The six-month suspension of operations is expected to disrupt approximately 960,000 passengers.
This has led to a decrease in the number of visitors arriving by air, such as high-end, international, and out-of-province groups. In particular, the former Da Lat city has also been affected, due to the popularity of direct flights.
Exploiting road and intra-provincial passenger traffic.
On March 2nd, the Lam Dong Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center announced that it will implement destination promotion solutions (March-August) to minimize the impact of airport closures, maintain growth momentum, and build a tourism foundation.
Specifically, the tourism stimulus program involves coordinating with provincial departments, agencies, associations, and tourism businesses; surveying and promoting typical tourist routes and destinations in the area; producing videos and short films introducing road routes connecting Lam Dong with neighboring provinces and cities; and designing tour and route maps.
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Tourists watch the sunrise at Da Lat's "lovers' hill". Photo: Quynh Danh . |
The Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also developed an overall plan, segmented the market, quantified the level of impact, and designed corresponding solutions for each stage.
The focus is shifting to the inland and intra-provincial tourism market , concentrating on attracting tourists from areas accessible to Da Lat by car and bus, such as Ho Chi Minh City, the Southeast region, the South Central region, and the Central Highlands. This is further facilitated by the Dai Ninh Pass, with the upgrade project for National Highway 28B expected to be completed in March, optimizing the road network between Ho Chi Minh City and Lam Dong.
The local tourism industry is coordinating with passenger transport businesses to establish fixed tourist bus routes and specialized contract buses. They are also proactively developing plans for connecting and transferring passengers from nearby airports such as Cam Ranh and Buon Ma Thuot.
At the same time, businesses are encouraged to develop all-inclusive packages and adapt tours to suit road travel .
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A group of international tourists enjoy grilled rice paper at Da Lat night market on the evening of May 1, 2025. Photo: Tuong Vi. |
Accommodation packages (especially 4-5 star accommodations for MICE groups), entrance tickets, and services are also designed for different customer segments. The series of cultural, sporting, and festival events throughout the year are considered "anchors" that maintain the attraction.
In addition, the locality will prioritize promoting inter-regional products such as Nha Trang - Da Lat - Bao Loc, Mui Ne - Da Lat - Ta Dung...
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Loc, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province, the temporary closure of the airport is not seen as an immediate difficulty, but rather as a time to review the market structure, product quality, and organizational capacity of the entire industry. If stability is maintained and the road transport market is expanded, local tourism can accelerate even faster when the airport reopens.
How are airlines providing support?
According to announcements from airlines, all regular domestic and international flights to Da Lat during the period when Lien Khuong airport is closed are temporarily suspended.
Vietjet Air has informed passengers whose flights are affected. Those who have already booked tickets can switch to equivalent routes to Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak), or retain their tickets for later use and receive other support according to current service policies.
The airline encourages passengers to proactively check flight information or contact the ticket office or the original ticketing channel for guidance on changing, canceling, or altering their itinerary.
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The airport closed ahead of the peak tourist season of April 30th - May 1st and summer. Photo: ACV . |
Vietnam Airlines tickets allow one free date or itinerary change. Passengers can also refund their tickets and any purchased supplementary services free of charge. This policy is valid until August 31st.
During the airport closure period, the airline increased flights on the Ho Chi Minh City - Buon Ma Thuot (Dak Lak)/Pleiku (Gia Lai) and Da Nang - Buon Ma Thuot routes, thereby facilitating travel to Lam Dong.
Several international airlines operating regular and charter flights from South Korea (Jeju Air, Korean Air), Malaysia (Air Asia), etc., have also adjusted their plans and diverted flights.
Lien Khuong Airport was upgraded to an international airport in June 2024. After a long period of operation, some infrastructure components have deteriorated and require comprehensive repair.
During airport closures, in addition to traveling by bus and car, tourists from Ho Chi Minh City and the southern, central, and northern provinces can combine train and bus travel or fly to a nearby airport and then travel further by bus.
Source: https://znews.vn/kich-ban-giu-khach-cua-lam-dong-post1631922.html
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