Vietnam Airlines launched a new direct route between Ho Chi Minh City and Phuket, expanding air links between Vietnam and Thailand as Thai tourism officials seek to attract more regional travelers.
The inaugural flight, VN621, arrived at Phuket International Airport at 5:50 p.m. on July 2, carrying 152 passengers from Vietnam. The airline will operate the route four times a week — Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays — using an Airbus A321 aircraft.
The new service follows a memorandum of understanding signed in May between Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) and Vietnam Airlines to strengthen tourism cooperation and improve air connectivity between the two countries.
Thai tourism officials said the route is expected to help increase visitor arrivals from Vietnam, one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing outbound travel markets. June through August is typically the peak travel season for Vietnamese visitors to Thailand.
Phuket remains one of the most popular Thai destinations among Vietnamese travelers, known for its beaches, resorts and tourism infrastructure. Officials said the direct route is expected to improve travel convenience and support tourism-related business activity between the two countries.
The launch comes as Thailand and Vietnam mark 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2026.
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To support the new route, TAT’s office in Ho Chi Minh City will host a familiarization trip from July 7 to 11 for 16 Vietnamese travel agents and four media representatives. The program will include site visits in Phuket and business meetings with local tourism operators aimed at expanding market opportunities.
Thailand is also promoting travel through its Vietnamese-language campaign, “Thai Lan – Càng Hiểu Càng Yêu,” or The More You Know Thailand, the More You Love It, highlighting Thailand’s tourism offerings in culture, food and leisure.
Later this year, TAT plans to work with Gotadi and other travel partners on promotional packages tied to sporting events in Thailand.
Thai officials said they aim to attract 689,000 Vietnamese visitors in 2026 as the country continues efforts to strengthen tourism recovery and expand regional travel demand.
