Qingdao has launched direct flights to Hanoi, following the recent opening of its route to Ho Chi Minh City, greatly boosting cultural and tourism exchanges with Vietnam.

To celebrate, a tourism promotion event, "Sharing new flights, embracing a new future", was held in Qingdao on Jan 19, highlighting the city's commitment to integrated "aviation and tourism" development.

During the event, Qingdao introduced tourism products tailored to Vietnamese visitors: winter-themed routes such as coastal seagull-watching, hot spring retreats at Laoshan Mountain, and culinary walks in historic neighborhoods. The city is also improving its international visitor services by enhancing multilingual support and tourist facilities.

Before the promotion, Qingdao hosted its first large-scale familiarization tour for Vietnamese travel agents and social media influencers from Jan 2 to 6. This was followed by a second inspection visit on Jan 19 to 20, which created positive online buzz and provided valuable insights for designing appealing tour packages.

To make the most of the new air connectivity, Qingdao is promoting integrated products like "flight + themed itineraries" and "flight + festival experience" packages. From Jan 17 to Feb 28, international tourists can also enjoy exclusive discounts by presenting their travel tickets and passports, a policy aimed at boosting off-season visits.

Looking ahead, Qingdao aims to deepen its tourism cooperation with Southeast Asia while expanding global connections, turning new air routes into dynamic channels for cultural exchange and friendship.

Qingdao launches direct flights to Hanoi, following its recent service to Ho Chi Minh City, and further opens up cultural and tourism exchanges with Vietnam. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

Vietnamese tourists enjoy local beer and experience Qingdao's authentic charm. [Photo/WeChat account: qd12301]

Qingdao features winter seagull watching as its beloved seasonal highlight. [Photo/Guanhai News]