The agreements were signed on October 8 and 9 at Vietnam–Laos and Vietnam–Cambodia business forums.
Vietnam Airlines signed the agreements with the Lao Association of Travel Agents (LATA) and Cambodia Airports Investment Company (CAIC). The ceremonies took place during the official visit to Laos and Cambodia by Prime Minister Le Minh Hung and a high-level Vietnamese delegation.
Rising international tourism creates room for Indochina tours
Vietnam welcomed nearly 17.7 million international visitors in the first nine months of the year, up 14.5% from the same period a year earlier. About 14.7 million arrived by air, accounting for 83.2%. China and South Korea remained the two largest source markets, alongside visitors from Japan, Australia, the United States and Europe.
The international visitor flow gives airlines and travel companies more room to develop itineraries that combine several Indochina destinations. Travellers can visit Vietnamese cities and beaches and try local food before continuing to Luang Prabang in Laos or the Angkor complex in Cambodia. Such journeys suit long-haul visitors who want to see several destinations in one trip.
Attractive destinations alone are not enough to create a cross-border tour. Flight schedules, connection times and the availability of bookable services in the source market must be considered when the product is designed.
“With its broad international network, Vietnam Airlines has long connected Vietnam and other Indochina destinations with the world. By working with partners in Laos and Cambodia, we aim to attract international visitors more effectively, expand cross-border itineraries and contribute to sustainable tourism development in the region,” said Dinh Van Tuan, deputy general director of Vietnam Airlines.
From international flights to cross-border tourism products
Vietnam Airlines currently operates two routes connecting Vietnam with Vientiane and Luang Prabang, with a combined frequency of 12 flights a week. Four more routes connect Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City with Siem Reap and Phnom Penh, with a combined frequency of 25 flights a week. In the first nine months of 2026, the airline carried about 103,500 passengers on Vietnam–Laos routes and 262,400 on Vietnam–Cambodia routes.
Vietnam Airlines’ network connects Vietnam with Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas. This allows the airline to bring travellers from several markets to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City before they continue to Laos or Cambodia. The carrier is working with travel companies and aviation infrastructure partners in the two countries to develop this flow.
Under the agreement with LATA, Vietnam Airlines will work with partners to develop and promote Vietnam–Laos travel programmes and connect with member travel companies to attract customers and expand distribution channels.
The agreement with CAIC, the developer of Techo International Airport, focuses on studying how to maintain and increase flight frequencies between the airport, Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, as well as assessing possible new routes. The two sides will also cooperate on trade promotion and service marketing and exchange experience in airline operations, safety, service quality and digital transformation.
Vietnam Airlines expects its cooperation with partners in Laos and Cambodia to increase the number of international visitors who combine several destinations in one trip, expand the market for travel companies and improve the efficiency of air links between the three countries.
Sources: Dân Trí
