Phu Quoc is in the golden stage for comprehensive development.

“With a complete infrastructure, tourism ecosystem and convenient access, Phu Quoc can become a venue for world-class events such as APEC. Phu Quoc is in the golden stage for comprehensive development,” the Permanent Vice President of the G7 Travel Association assessed.

Island of creativity and class

Phu Quoc tourism growth in 2024 will surpass the peak of 2019 - the time before the Covid-19 pandemic. Along with changes in urban appearance, service quality, investment environment, and civilized tourism behavior that local authorities and tourism businesses are determined to implement, Phu Quoc is expected to become a leading international tourism center in the region and a modern, attractive urban area with an open investment environment.

Recently, during a working trip to Phu Quoc City on the morning of January 14, President Luong Cuong also shared that 2027 is the third time Vietnam holds the position of Chairman of the Asia-Pacific Economic Forum (APEC), in which the Central Government has determined the venue to be Phu Quoc City. This is a great opportunity for Phu Quoc in particular and Vietnam in general.

As a business and manager who has been involved in Phu Quoc tourism for many years, Mr. Le Van Du, Permanent Vice President of the G7 Travel Association, commented: “ Phu Quoc has made a strong mark on the international tourism map over the past 20 years. From an island mainly based on agriculture and aquaculture, it has developed into an attractive tourist center. In 2024, Phu Quoc welcomed nearly 6 million visitors. This is a remarkable number.”

Mr. Le Van Du said that breakthroughs in transport infrastructure such as international airports, seaport and road systems, along with strong investment in resorts, theme parks and supporting services have contributed significantly to making Phu Quoc one of the top destinations in the region.

Compared to the "scandals" about the tourism environment that public opinion condemned nearly a year ago, Phu Quoc seems to have transformed dramatically with many important marks. Thanks to the drastic directions of the government on waste treatment, environment, and implementation of civilized tourism, Phu Quoc's tourism environment has been dramatically improved, and the destination's position is increasingly upgraded. Projects such as: Cau Hon, international show Kiss of The Sea at Sunset Town, Symphony Of The Sea show, Vui Phet night market and especially the appearance of the high-end Rixos resort brand on the island have created important highlights. In the last months of 2024, many hotels in Phu Quoc were fully booked. Online booking platform Booking.com shows that Phu Quoc is in the top 3 destinations most searched by Vietnamese tourists for the 2025 Lunar New Year holiday, up 180% over the same period last year. 1 year ago, there were only 2-5 direct flights from international markets to Phu Quoc every day, but now there are 28-30 flights every day. Latest statistics show that there are 60 flights to and from Phu Quoc every day.

Not only enhancing the visitor experience, these changes also affirm Phu Quoc's position as an island of creativity and class.

Advantages of new destinations, lots of room for development

Over the years, many of the world's leading resort brands such as Marriott International, Accor, Rosewood Hotels, Curio Collection by Hilton... have chosen Phu Quoc, making it a favorite destination for luxury brands. In December, Sun Group Corporation brought the Rixos brand, a brand with "royal" resort experiences to Vietnam and Phu Quoc for the first time, further affirming the irresistible attraction and international stature of the Pearl Island.

Explaining the reason why a series of international luxury resort brands have "landed" on the Pearl Island, tourism experts say that Phu Quoc is a destination that possesses many unique and classy advantages that are rarely found elsewhere, such as: unique natural landscapes, diverse ecosystems, complete transport infrastructure, beautiful coastline and high-class services.

“ It is impossible not to mention the stable investment environment and supportive policies from the government, creating favorable conditions for domestic and international strategic investors. Phu Quoc is also particularly attractive because it is a relatively new destination, less saturated. In particular, the natural resources for Phu Quoc to develop are still very large, if we focus on exploiting them in a green and sustainable way, it will certainly create a great momentum for tourism on this Pearl Island,” said Mr. Le Van Du.

Recently, Travel & Leisure honored Phu Quoc as the 2nd in the list of 25 most wonderful islands in the world, just behind Maldives. Travel & Leisure rated Phu Quoc as an emerging tourist destination and that is its greatest strength. While some beaches in Southeast Asia are overdeveloped, Phu Quoc still maintains its wild, peaceful nature and visitors can still stay in luxury resorts on this island.

“ Compared to many other destinations in the country, Phu Quoc has many opportunities to develop and compete with other destinations in the region such as Phuket (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia)... However, Bali follows the direction of culture. This island takes culture as the soul for development. Phuket follows the direction of nighttime entertainment with all kinds of forms, night tourism products, combining sports and many other things. Personally, I do not rate Phuket highly. Bali follows the direction of promoting cultural identity but now it has also degraded. Phu Quoc currently has many competitive advantages with other islands and destinations in the region. The important thing is to create a difference and preserve natural elements. This is the biggest advantage of Phu Quoc” - Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Trung Luong - former Deputy Director of the Vietnam Institute of Tourism Research commented.

In particular, with its high-class infrastructure, synchronous with an international airport, a series of 5-star accommodation facilities and modern conference centers, Phu Quoc is considered to be fully capable of hosting major events such as APEC. In particular, the pleasant climate and the not-overloaded tourism environment are advantages that help Phu Quoc become an ideal destination for international conferences, events and investment by the global elite. " With a complete infrastructure, tourism ecosystem and convenient access, Phu Quoc can become a venue for world-class events such as APEC" , Mr. Le Van Du affirmed.

“ In my opinion, to become a global destination, Phu Quoc needs to focus on three factors: Improving service quality and diversifying and personalizing tourism products to meet the needs of all customer segments; Promoting international marketing campaigns to expand brand awareness; Investing in environmental protection, ensuring green and sustainable development to maintain long-term attractiveness,” said Mr. Le Van Du.

In addition, Phu Quoc needs to develop specific tourism products such as: cultural experience tourism, tours to explore deserted islands, or work-based vacations. In addition, organizing international events and festivals such as light and music festivals will create more highlights, attracting visitors to stay longer. Investing in high-end shopping areas, duty-free zones, food and beverage service commercial areas with many famous restaurant brands, entertainment areas, discount centers (Factory Outlet), duty-free supermarket areas... is also a way for tourists to increase their spending and position the class of the destination.

“ I believe that in the near future, Phu Quoc will not only be a tourism center of Vietnam but also an iconic destination of the Asian region. With its existing potential and proper attention from the government and investors, Phu Quoc will play an important role in raising the level of tourism and the economy of Vietnam, becoming a national pride, ” said Mr. Le Van Du.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phu-quoc-dang-o-giai-doan-vang-de-phat-trien-toan-dien-post330953.html