~ Le Viêt Nam, aujourd'hui. ~
The Vietnam News

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Vietnam Airlines reports promising outlook

HANOI - With the SARS threat winding down in many countries, and its hardsell promising to pay off, Vietnam Airlines looks set to work back to normalcy. Its spokesman, Nguyen Tan Chan, said signs of recovery, and even growth, have been reported in major international sectors like France, Russia and Australia.

Pham Ngoc Minh, deputy general director, said: "Western tourists are coming back to Vietnam. European flights, particularly from France, are fully booked flights until August, so we will have to increase their number." The carrier launched promotion campaigns to offer price cuts on tickets to stimulate demand, while keeping the quality of services.

After Vietnam was taken off the list of SARS-affected countries by WHO on April 28, the airline said it launched promotions both at home and abroad. The biggest campaign, Back to the Future Vietnam, was launched in major markets in Asia, Europe, and Australia. It also offered special fares on several domestic routes between May 1 and October 30. Vietnam Airlines tied up with 26 leading hotels across the country to offer special tours to Vietnam at 30 to 50 percent discounts. Besides, its management took advantage of the downturn to train the staff and plan new marketing strategies for the post-SARS period.

IRNA - June 23, 2003