An ATR Aircraft at Nong Khang airport, (Photo source: laotiantimes.com)

Vientiane - The number of Lao and foreign tourists flocking to the far-north province of Houaphanh, Laos, has increased significantly after Nong Khang airport came into operation last month.

According to Phouvan Phetmixay, provincial Deputy Director of the Department of Information, Culture and Tourism, the hike in the number of tourists to the locality is due to more convenient travel.

Previously, to get to the province, visitors had to go through a road trip on winding and dangerous mountain roads but the new airport has eased the problem, he noted.

Lao Airlines' commercial director Noudeng Chanthaphasouk said the airline is operating four flights a week between Vientiane and Houaphanh on a trial basis and all flights are full so far.

Besides, from June 6, the Lao Skyway also put into operation a pilot route between Vientiane and Houanphanh with a frequency of two flights per week.

Located in the northernmost part of Laos, Houaphanh province is more than 600 km from Vientiane. Previously, it took about two days to get from the capital to the province, but now it only takes one hour by air.

Nong Khang airport is part of the Lao Government’s infrastructure development strategy aimed at transforming Laos from a landlocked to a regionally connected nation. The Build-Transfer (BT) project has a total investment of 82 million USD, financed through a loan from Vietnam’s Hoang Anh Gia Lai Agriculture JSC. The airport is built according to the 3C standards of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), capable of serving 100,000 passengers per year and accommodating aircraft with 70-100 seats.

Located in an important economic-trade gateway between Laos and Vietnam, the airport also contributes significantly to the development of cross-border export-import activities between the two countries. It not only promotes tourism and economic growth of Houaphanh but also symbolises the enduring friendship and sustainable cooperation between the two neighboring countries.