According to the report of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the number of passengers traveling by plane worldwide in the next 20 years is expected to reach 7.2 billion, increasing by approximately 2 times compared with the figure of 3.8 billion in 2016. In particular, Vietnam is one of the five markets with the fastest growing number of visitors beside China, the US, India and Indonesia.

Regarding the domestic market, five Vietnamese airlines are exploiting 50 domestic routes connecting Hanoi, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City with 18 local airports. There are currently 68 foreign airlines from 25 countries/regions and five domestic airlines operating in Vietnam, exploiting nearly 130 international routes to 29 countries and territories.

Vietnamese airlines are stepping up to exploit the international aviation industry, in which the US is one of the leading key markets, identified in the Project: "Direct flights between Vietnam and other countries together with key areas to encourage development investment promoting exchanges and international integration" approved by the Prime Minister in Decision No. 2119/QD-TTg on December 28, 2017.

The US is also identified as a key tourism market in the Project: "Strengthening aviation connectivity with the source markets" signed by Deputy Prime Minister Trinh Dinh Dung in Decision No. 105/QD-TTg on January 22, 2019.

The market capacity between Vietnam and the US in 2017 rose to over 700 thousand passengers with an average growth rate in the period of 2010-2017 of more than 8%/year. According to the U.S. Embassy in Ho Chi Minh City, in 2018, the number of Vietnamese traveling to this country achieved an impressive growth of 107,000 people.

In February 2019, Vietnam was officially granted Category 1 rating certification (CAT1) by the US Federal Aviation Administration. CAT 1 has paved the way for Vietnamese airlines to the US and facilitated joint cooperation between airlines and the people of the two countries.

The time for Vietnamese carriers to open direct flights to the US has arrived. However, in addition to opportunities and potentials, the exploitation of Vietnam - US direct route also poses significant challenges in terms of legal, economic, technical and commercial issues, etc.

Stemming from the practical needs of tackling the questions and concerns of Vietnamese airlines about the opportunities and challenges when opening Vietnam - US direct flights, the Vietnam Association on Aviation Science and Technology in collaboration with Bamboo Airways held the Seminar: "Vietnam - US Direct Flight: Ready for taking off".

Time: 13:30 on August 1, 2019

Location: Bamboo Airways Theater - 36th Floor, Bamboo Airways Tower, 265 Cau Giay, Hanoi

The speakers invited in the Seminar are:

Mr. Vo Huy Cuong - Deputy Director General of the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam

Mr. Le Cong Phung - Former Permanent Vice Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Viet Nam - Former Chairman of the National Boundary Commission of Vietnam - Former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Vietnam in the US

Dr. Luu Binh Nhuong - Deputy of the National Assembly of Vietnam - Deputy Head of the Committee for People's Aspiration

Dr. Vu Tien Loc - Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry

Mr. Vu The Binh - Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association

Dr. Le Dinh Tinh - Director General of the Institute for Foreign Policy and Strategic Studies - Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam

Dr. Tran Quang Chau - Chairman of the Vietnam Association on Aviation Science and Technology

Mr. Dang Tat Thang - Executive Vice Chairman of Bamboo Airways

Mr. Andy J. Gayer - Boeing Field Service - Boeing Commercial Airplanes

With the participation of the delegates of: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Planning & Investment, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, the National Administration of Tourism of Vietnam, the US Embassy in Vietnam, Amcham, VCCI, diplomats, economic experts, aviation experts, business representatives in the field of aviation, domestic and international tourism, etc.

The Seminar will be reported live on: Bizlive.vn, Cafef.vn and Toquoc.vn.