NEW TWICE-WEEKLY DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM HONG KONG TO DANANG, STARTING DECEMBER 21st 2000

A new twice-weekly direct service is to be launched which will link Hong Kong with Central Vietnam’s gateway city of Danang. The service, to be operated by Vietnam-based Pacific Airlines, is the first regular scheduled service between the two destinations since before the Vietnam War and is expected to dramatically increase tourism to Central Vietnam from Hong Kong.

The new twice-weekly service departs Hong Kong for Danang on Friday mornings and Monday mornings, and returns from Danang to Hong Kong on Sunday evenings and Thursday evenings.

The Friday to Sunday schedule will make Danang an especially attractive option for long weekend breaks from Hong Kong to Danang, which is only a 75-minute flight.

The inaugural flight from Danang arrives in Hong Kong on Thursday December 21, and the first flight from Hong Kong to Danang departs on Friday December 22nd in the morning.

The schedule is as follows:

Hong Kong (HKG) to Danang (DAD)

Mondays, Fridays:

Dep: 08.00 Arr 08.30



Danang (DAD) to Hong Kong (HKG)

Thursdays, Sundays:

Dep: 19.30 Arr: 22.00



Special promotional airfares will be offered to introduce the flights and the destination Danang. As of March 2001, the company is expected to increase the service to four flights a week.

As an added convenience to travellers, The Furama Resort Danang, Central Danang’s leading luxury resort hotel, is also able to arrange visa on arrival at Danang International Airport with just 24 hours advance notice. This means that Hong Kong residents will be able to make last minute travel decisions to come to Danang., making it a convenient short break option.

“The new direct flights represent an extremely important step towards realising Danang’s potential as a popular tourist destination,” said Paul Stoll, General Manager of the Furama Resort.

So far only one regular direct international service operates from Danang: a thrice weekly service to Bangkok which has been operated by Thai Airways International for the past 12 months, but the service has already significantly increased international visitor traffic to Danang. Hong Kong’s Dragonair has also successfully operated occasional charter flights between Hong Kong and Danang in the past two years and so have overseas tour operators organizing theme private jet tours.

Pacific Airlines will also launch a direct service from Taipei to Danang in March 2001, and this is expected to increase visitor arrivals to Vietnam from Taiwan. Travellers from Japan and the USA will also be able to fly conveniently to Danang via Taipei.

Both the Hong Kong-Danang service and the Taipei-Danang service also fly on to Ho Chi Minh City and as such allow for cost-effective two-centre visits to Danang and Ho Chi Minh City.

"With its miles of excellent unspoilt beaches, stunning scenery, several UNESCO World Heritage Sites within easy reach and excellent resort hotels such as the Furama Resort, Danang has for some time been poised to become the latest hot new destination in Asia", said Paul Stoll

"Direct access from important regional feeder markets such as Hong Kong and Taiwan has been the only missing link in the chain so far, but now with the advent of these direct flights, I am confident Danang will soon be able to realise its excellent potential" he continued.

"Promoting Danang as a gateway is also a strategy of the Best Hotels Alliance, which comprises 19 luxury hotels in Vietnam and one in Singapore. Increasing the flights network will allow the Best Hotels Alliance to expand into the Indo China countries of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and South China, Asian hubs such as Hong Kong, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai and Kuala Lumpur, and eventually, gateway cities of feeder countries for Vietnam including London, Paris, Frankfurt, Rome, Madrid, Zurich, Tokyo, Osaka, Taipei, Seoul, Los Angeles and others" said Paul Stoll, the President of the Best Hotels Alliance.

The 200-room Furama Resort opened in Spring 1997 as the first deluxe international resort in Vietnam. Since then it has set extremely high standards of service and taken a leading role in defining the image of Vietnam’s hospitality industry. The resort is superbly located on Vietnam’s famous China Beach – a 20 mile stretch of fine white sand, just 20 minutes’ drive south of the central city of Danang. This luxury resort offers world-class accommodation and facilities within two hours drive of the ancient seaport of Hoi An, the former imperial capital Hue and the ruins of the Cham civilization, the Holy Valley of My Son which are some of the country’s major historical sites.

The Furama Resort Danang is managed by Furama Hotels and Resorts International (FHRI), Hong Kong which is also managing other prestigious hotels in Asia - Furama Hotel, Hong Kong; Majestic Hotel, Hong Kong; Grand Pacific Hotel, Bangkok, Thailand; Paradise Lagoon Hotel, Port Dickson, Malaysia; Philippines Dream Cruise, Cebu, Philippines; Shengyang Hotel, China (open 2001), Caravelle Hotel, HCMC, Vietnam.

The 335 rooms 5 star Caravelle Hotel is located in the center of Ho Chi Minh City overlooking the historical of Opera House, right in the heart of business, shopping and nightlife district. Following a substantial renovation completed in 1998 its spacious rooms and suites have state of the art facilities including in-room fax machines and dataports and satellite TV facilities, include an outdoor rooftop swimming pool, one of the city's best fitness club, and the Saigon Saigon Jazz Bar with al fresco terrace which is the city's most popular meeting spot. The hotel's restaurants which include Asian Reflections the leading Asian and fusion restaurant in the city, are also popular with resident expatriates as well as hotel guests.