DarrenHulst, senior managing director, market analysis & sales support,commercial airplanes, at Boeing, said the country’s aviation industryquadrupled in size in the last 10 years.
As themiddle class expands, the growth potential for the industry also increases, hesaid.
"Ithink in some cases the challenges for aviation here are really because themarket wants to grow so quickly. Investment in infrastructure is needed tocontinue to facilitate the growth."
Understandingthe long-term view of Vietnam's aviation market and the potential for the nextfive or 10 years, and then investing systematically in areas such as airportsand technician and pilot training is important for facilitating growth, hesaid.
Aviationgrowth brings economic growth, more spending and imports and exports, and soinvestment yields good returns, he added.
Vietnam is becomingone of the top tourism destinations in Southeast Asia, Nguyen Van Hiep, formerdeputy director of the Government Office's Department 1, said.
The country has 23airports and six domestic airlines, and it needs to ensure its airports andinfrastructure are ready for the tourism boom, he said.
Patee Sarasin,founder and former CEO of Thai airline Nok Air, said while seeking innovationwithin the airline industry could be challenging, it is a good way to increaseefficiency.
Carriers need to keepout of price wars and focus on innovation, good marketing and creating afeeling of excitement rather than just offer cheap prices.
"The minute itbecomes a commodity, then there is no way to innovate, it will be just buyseats for cheap prices, and customers' behaviour will be built that way."
Airlines could seekpartners to do creative thinking to create excitement, while they just focus ontheir projects, he added.
The Vietnam InternationalAviation Expo, which will end on November 22, is showcasing the latestequipment, products and technologies in the aviation industry.
The first suchexhibition in Vietnam has attracted more than 50 exhibitors from 20 countriesand territories./.