Improved airports are crucial to tourism development plans.

The representative offices, in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, will cement Airis’ reputation as one of the world’s leading aviation facility development companies. So far, the company has developed over 350,000 square metres of aviation product valued at $1.1 billion. It has also planned for an additional 400,000sqm valued at $1.2 billion globally.

“We are preparing to add many Vietnamese projects to that list,” said Ronald D Factor, president of Airis. He said Airis’ expansion in Vietnam was “at the right place and at the right time” given the country’s rapidly developing economy. “The Vietnamese government is calling for investment into many airport projects and we cannot ignore these investment opportunities,” he said.

The government has called for the development of modern airport infrastructure as a primary focus for the nation, which will generate greater volumes of passenger traffic, create new cargo capacities, provide a solid basis for tourism development and attract new manufacturing investment. The government plans to increase the operational capability of the airport network by 2.5 times by 2015 and approximately four times by 2020.

According to Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam, Vietnam needs about $2.84 billion for airport infrastructure to 2015 and $2.73 billion of investment will be required for developing airports from 2016-2020. Finance will be drawn from the state budget, official development assistance and foreign investment capital.

“It is important for Vietnam to develop its aviation infrastructure in accordance with international standards to support its ascending economy for global integration. We are here to help achieve this goal,” said Factor. He said Airis was likely to be involved in Long Thanh international airport in southern Dong Nai province and Noi Bai international airport T2 terminal projects.

He said Cam Ranh airport, in southern Khanh Hoa province, was also on Airis’ radar screen.

VietNamNet/VIR