Vietnam Airlines eyes listing to fund growth as tourism booms

Vietnam Airlines plans to list its shares on the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange in Q1 of 2019, raising the carrier’s profile and positioning it to fund development of its fleet as it faces growing competition from low-cost carriers. CE Duong Tri Thanh said: “We are making our target the first quarter of next year, and I think this is feasible.” Thanh said that “the airline and the management want to do this”, but added that the final decision would be made by the Vietnamese govt. The airline would become one of the largest listed companies on the exchange at a time when foreign funds are looking for ways to invest in Vietnam’s fast-growing economy, including its rapidly expanding local and international tourism market. VNA’s shares already trade hands on Hanoi’s Unlisted Public Company Market. <br/>