Vietnamese airlines are set to begin operating the HCM City-Colombo route next month, providing the first direct air link between the two countries and improving connectivity for tourism, trade and investment.
Speaking at a tourism promotion event in Hanoi, Sri Lankan Ambassador to Vietnam Poshitha Perera said the country was shifting from mass tourism towards higher-value, experience-based travel.
Sri Lanka has diversified its tourism offerings with ecotourism, wildlife, Ayurveda wellness, tea plantation tours, beach holidays, cultural heritage and Buddhist pilgrimage.
Vietnamese travel companies have already introduced package tours to Sri Lanka. Industry representatives said the new direct route would cut travel times by between two and six hours compared with connecting flights via Thailand or Malaysia.
