Da Nang: Direct Flights From Russia and CIS Boost Tourism Recovery

Da Nang welcomed flight VJ55 from Astana, Kazakhstan, landing safely at Da Nang International Airport on the morning of April 13, marking an important step in restoring international air routes to Da Nang.

Flight details and passenger profile

The flight, operated by Crystal Bay in partnership with VietJet Air, carried 370 passengers, including more than 250 tour operator representatives from the CIS market surveying services. The move is part of a long-term strategy to attract travelers from emerging markets, particularly Russia and the CIS, which are described as having high spending potential and longer stays.

Tourism demand and visitor figures

With volatility reported in some traditional international markets, Russia and the CIS are identified as promising source markets. Data for the first three months of 2026 show Da Nang welcomed about 2.3 million international visitors, of which visitors from Russia and the CIS reached over 100,000, accounting for roughly 4.35% of total visitors.

The restoration of flights from April to October is expected to provide momentum for the city’s tourism sector.

Familiarization trip and planned networking

Beyond welcoming visitors, from April 13 to 18, a fam trip involving more than 250 CIS travel companies visited Da Nang to survey products and services on the ground. A networking session is planned on April 17–18 to create opportunities for local service providers to work directly and sign cooperation agreements with international partners.

2026 route expansion and targets

Under the plan, the flight network from Russia and the CIS to Da Nang in 2026 will expand to major cities in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Belarus and the Far East, including Siberia in Russia. A Crystal Bay representative said the airline expects to operate about 400 flights in 2026, targeting 80,000 to 100,000 visitors to Da Nang.

This is expected to support tourism growth and local economic development.

Promotion and cooperation efforts

The outcome is linked to intensified promotional and marketing efforts by the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in recent years. In October 2025, a cooperation signing between the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center and Yango Ads Vietnam opened up new opportunities for promoting the destination.

The agreement aims to apply data and modern advertising technology to enhance Da Nang’s visibility, bringing the city closer to CIS travelers and boosting visitor inflows from this market.

Industry roundtable input

A roundtable organized by the Da Nang tourism industry gathered practical input from experts, airlines, travel businesses and international partners. The inputs are intended to help build a cooperation, promotion and product development plan tailored to the CIS market, supporting Da Nang’s competitiveness and its ability to sustainably attract visitors from these source markets.