Many places are deserted during New Year's Eve, but Phu Quoc is packed with tourists. What is the reason?

ANTD.VN - In the first days of the new year, many destinations were deserted, while Phu Quoc was congested from the airport to the streets of Hoang Hon town. What had never happened on the island has now become…very normal.

Crowded with tourists on New Year's Day

According to statistics from Kien Giang Department of Tourism, during the New Year holiday alone, Phu Quoc city welcomed 88,209 visitors, including 15,029 international visitors. The number of visitors staying in the city was 35,435.

Tourists line up to experience the Hon Thom cable car at Sun World Hon Thom.

In fact, resorts and hotels in the city are "full of rooms", not only on New Year's Day but also in early January 2025. According to a survey of more than 40 accommodation establishments in Bai Kem and Hoang Hon Town, on the occasion of the New Year, from high-end segments such as New World Phu Quoc Resort, Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, La Festa Phu Quoc - Curio Collection By Hilton... to 3-4 star hotels or minihotels, most of them are fully booked and for several months now, the room booking rate has never dropped below 80%.

Adrian, a Russian tourist, said: “This is my 4th day in Phu Quoc, my whole family is celebrating the New Year here this year. Everything is wonderful, from the weather, the beach to the shows, we are very satisfied and excited. On New Year's Eve, we experienced 3 fireworks displays in one night, an experience that cannot be found anywhere else.”

These days in Phu Quoc in general and Hoang Hon Town in particular, from morning to night, the scene is always bustling, creating vitality for the "pearl island" tourism industry at the beginning of the new year. On the first mornings of the year, long lines of tourists lined up at the Sun World Hon Thom cable car station. According to statistics from the tourist area, the cable car system welcomes thousands of tourists every day, even on days when the number of visitors reached a new record, surpassing the peak in 2019 before the pandemic.

Tourists crowded at the night market every evening.

Especially every evening, thousands of tourists flock to Sunset Town to have fun at the night market, watch the shows Kiss of the sea, Symphony of the sea with eye-catching performances and fireworks twice a night.

Pearl Island has been … reversed

During the New Year holiday this year, many domestic destinations recorded a low number of tourists, while Phu Quoc witnessed a contrasting scene, even a "reversal of the situation" compared to early 2024, when the island was constantly criticized for overcharging and high prices. Currently, this island is a destination for Christmas and New Year holidays for many domestic and foreign tourists, especially international visitors, surpassing the "golden age" of Vietnamese tourism in 2019.

International tourists love to relax at Bai Kem because of the white sand, golden sunshine, and clear blue water.

One of the reasons why this island has become such a “hot” keyword in the international tourist community is the advantage of its temperate climate, especially the end of the year is the most beautiful season of Phu Quoc with white sand beaches, clear blue water that many tourists compare to the Maldives. Currently, Phu Quoc also has the advantage of a 30-day visa exemption policy for international visitors and many direct flights from many countries around the world. In the first days of the year, Phu Quoc airport welcomed more than 60 flights, including 32 international flights from Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, CIS countries and Europe...

However, one of Phu Quoc's strengths recognized by many tourists and reputable travel companies is its competitive tourism products in the region and the world. Mr. Hong Jung Min, CEO of Hanatour Company in Vietnam, shared: "Phu Quoc is an island with wonderful natural conditions, and at the same time owns high-class hotels and tourist destinations that take advantage of those natural advantages. Personally, I especially like Hoang Hon Town and Hon Thom in the south of Phu Quoc. I believe that when infrastructure development projects such as roads and tourist attractions are completed, we will witness a real "Hawaii of the East".

“These days, the streets are flooded with international visitors. Restaurants and famous tourist attractions are always overloaded and require reservations. Entertainment areas in the North and South of the island often organize art shows and fireworks, which are a big reason to attract tourists,” said Le Tran Phuong Dinh, a tour guide in Phu Quoc.

The show Symphony of the sea lights up the sea and sky of Sunset Town.

Last year, Phu Quoc witnessed the arrival of unique tourism products stretching from the North to the South of the island. One of the destinations mentioned as a "phenomenon" of Phu Quoc in 2024 is Sunset Town. Since the beginning of the year, this place has launched no less than 10 new experiences such as the world's leading multimedia show staged by France with 8 performance technologies and artistic fireworks every night, the Awaken Sea show with elaborate performances by the world's flyboard and jetski champions and runners-up.

Especially at the end of this year, Hoang Hon Town will launch the "pair" of beer restaurant Sun Bavaria GastroPub and the show only available in the world Olympics called Symphony of the sea with 20 minutes of fireworks display every night, bringing the concept of dinner show - having dinner while watching art performance - for the first time in Phu Quoc.

With its ever-increasing appeal, Phu Quoc not only attracts visitors during the end of the year and New Year, but is also expected to become a hot spot for the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, with the 5-star segment currently 85% full, the 4-star segment in the center almost fully booked, and resorts and hotels in the South of the island all reaching 70-80% room occupancy.

Source: https://www.anninhthudo.vn/tet-duong-lich-nhieu-noi-vang-ve-phu-quoc-khach-dong-nuom-nuop-dau-la-ly-do-post600246.antd