Cam Ranh Airport in the central province of Khanh Hoa in Vietnam, will become an international gateway with the opening of an official direct air rout linking Cam Ranh and Vladivostock in Russia on Dec 12, Vietnam news agency (VNA) said Friday.

Under the agreement, TU204 aircraft will be used for a flight every two weeks and the flight frequency will be increased later.

Another air route will also open for flights from Moscow to Cam Ranh and vice versa, the news agency said.

An agreement was signed between the Chairman of the Khanh Hoa provincial People's Committee Vo Lam Phi, and representatives of Russia's Vladivostock Avia and Transero Airlines.

Meanwhile, Phi urged hotels and guest houses to offer promotion programmes and lower service prices, on the occasion of the inauguration of Cam Ranh international airport.

Travel agents' hotels have pledged 50 to 70 percent discount in hotel room prices for nearly 130 international tourists flying from Russia to Cam Ranh on Dec 12.

The national aviation sector invested more than 200 billion VND (US$10.8 million) in building a new terminal, air traffic control station, a modern runway lights and other facilities in Cam Ranh airport.

The capacity of the new terminal doubles the old one which was only capable of loading 300 passengers per hour.