Cam Ranh Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa will develop rapidly once it becomes an international gateway this year, the Vietnam Airlines chief said Friday.

Some South Korean tour operators have promised the airlines they would bring passengers to Cam Ranh and Russian carrier Aeroflot also wants to begin services to this coastal airport, Tien Phong newspaper reported.

The airport is expected to receive 1.5 million passengers in 2010 and up to four million by 2015, Minh said. Last year, the 750-hectare airport handled 683,000 passengers.

By next June, its new international terminal is expected to receive 1.5-2 million passengers a year.

Last year, the government permitted Vietnam Airlines and the Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, or BIDV, to invite foreign investors to form the Cam Ranh Airport Construction and Investment Joint Stock Company.

Reported by Vinh Bao