(Xinhua)
Updated: 2007-11-26 16:44

HANOI-- Vietnam needs over 2.8 billion US dollars to develop its airport infrastructure by 2015, local newspaper Vietnam Investment Review reported Monday.

The money is expected to be mobilized from the state budget and foreign investment, the paper quoted the Civil Aviation Administration of Vietnam as reporting.

Vietnam, home to three international airports, has planned to enhance its airport capacity by 2.5 times by 2015 and four times by 2020. As many as 24 airports, including 10 international ones, are expected to operate by 2015.

The country's air industry served nearly 7.2 million domestic and foreign passengers in the first 10 months of this year, posting a year-on-year rise of 16.5 percent. Meanwhile, the industry transported 108,100 tons of cargoes, up 4 percent, according to the country's General Statistics Office.

Vietnam's aviation market is expected to annually grow 12-14 percent in the 2006-2010 period, 9-11 percent in the 2010-2015 period, and 10-12 percent in the 2015-2020 period, according to the administration.