Unlocking Phu Quoc’s potential to become the 'Hawaii of the East'

Leading global tourism companies have remarked that Phu Quoc has "yet to receive the recognition it deserves," despite its impressive and unexpected growth rate.

"Even beyond Las Vegas”

Phu Quoc recently became the focal point of the regional tourism industry, hosting over 70 representatives from renowned airlines, travel agencies, and online travel platforms during the famtrip titled "Journey to the Paradise Island."

The event brought together prominent names in online travel such as Trip.com, KKday, and Klook, alongside leading travel agencies and hotel brands like Pegas Touristik, Anex, Accor & Ennismore, and Rixos Hotels.

Major airlines including Starlux, SCAT, Vietnam Airlines, and Thai Vietjet participated, further cementing Phu Quoc’s growing prominence on the regional tourism map.

Weichun Liu, CEO of KKday, shared her impressions of Phu Quoc’s rapid development:"When I first visited in 2022, I was truly impressed by the Hon Thom over-sea cable car project. On my return this time, I find the island equipped with infrastructure and hotels and a variety of programs, performances, and night markets to attract international visitors."

A representative of a leading Asian e-commerce platform offering travel services described Phu Quoc as a destination with something for everyone: "This island caters to luxury and upscale travellers, families, and even young people who enjoy lively parties. I think it’s a place you can revisit annually and always discover something new," said Liu.

"Even beyond Las Vegas," remarked Selcuk Iscimen, CEO of Dorak MICE, after experiencing the Kiss of the Sea show in southern Phu Quoc.

Phu Quoc has been lauded as a destination that offers something for every kind of travelers. Beyond recreational activities, entertainment, and cuisine that capture the attention of industry experts, the island's accommodation infrastructure is a key point of interest for businesses.

Ben Chang, Vietnam branch manager of Starlux Airlines, shared his perspective, noting that he has visited Thailand’s Phuket and Koh Samui, which boast many upscale hotels. However, in Phu Quoc, the hotels are not only truly luxurious but also offer far more reasonable prices.

"This is a strong advantage that can attract tourists to Vietnam. Visitors can enjoy nature, experience premium services, explore museums, and engage in recreational activities," he said.

Sustainable momentum to become a tourism magnet.

While Phu Quoc boasts numerous strengths, international tourism businesses believe that addressing certain infrastructure, ecosystem, visa policy, and market development gaps is crucial for sustaining and enhancing the quality and quantity of foreign tourists.

"Phu Quoc needs to improve amenities for international visitors, such as hospitals, supermarkets, and public transportation. Beyond buses, services like Grab and GrabFood should also expand their coverage to make vacations more convenient," Ben Chang suggested.

Similarly, Hong Jung Min, managing director of Hanatour Vietnam, highlighted the need for further upgrades to Phu Quoc’s infrastructure. "I believe that once development projects such as roads and tourist attractions are completed, we will witness this island becoming a true 'Hawaii of the East,'" he remarked.

A representative of South Korea’s largest travel agency suggested that the local tourism industry should focus on developing markets with regular commercial flights as a foundation, followed by exploiting charter flights during peak seasons.

"This will help Phu Quoc become a sustainable market. Domestic markets and the South Korean market are prime examples," Hong explained.

In addition to investing in infrastructure and tourism products, international businesses believe that visa policies play a particularly critical role in opening the doors for Phu Quoc to welcome more visitors.

"Visa exemption is another factor that attracts international tourists to Phu Quoc, making travel easier for them. Beyond what Phu Quoc already has, increasing flight connectivity and expanding visa exemption policies are two truly important factors," Liu stated, suggesting that the island should broaden its visa policies to attract potential markets.

Shaping the future of Phu Quoc

In recent years, Phu Quoc has made remarkable progress by attracting investors into multi-billion-dollar complexes for entertainment, recreation, and luxury resorts.

According to the Kien Giang Department of Tourism, Phu Quoc City currently hosts 274 tourism investment projects, accounting for 86% of all tourism projects in the province, with a total area of 9,485 hectares and a investment capital of VND388,410 billion.

By 2025, Kien Giang’s tourism sector aims to enhance both the scope and quality of its services while ensuring sustainable development.

In the broader vision for the new year, Phu Quoc holds significant potential as the locality accelerates the implementation of its development plan to transform the city into a high-quality eco-tourism hub and a world-class marine tourism destination, as outlined in Resolution 13-NQ/TW of the Politburo and Resolution 78/NQ-CP of the Government.

To make Phu Quoc’s tourism picture even more vibrant, the involvement of international businesses in strategically planned, modern, and innovative projects will be indispensable.

Starting in early 2025, Starlux Airlines announced the launch of a new charter flight route from Taiwan to Phu Quoc in January. Meanwhile, Rixos, a luxury all-inclusive hotel brand under Ennismore, established its first footprint in Phu Quoc, choosing the island for its debut luxury all-inclusive resort in Southeast Asia.

Francois Boudin, a representative of Rixos Hotels, described this as a critical first step into a highly promising market.

"This place offers all the entertainment and activities that tourists are looking for. Among them, the Sun Paradise Land ecosystem represents a comprehensive tourism model that integrates accommodation, entertainment, sports, gastronomy, and wellness," he stated.

The representative of the luxury hotel brand headquartered in Turkey expressed confidence that the debut of Rixos Phu Quoc would elevate the guest experience on the island, attracting international visitors with high spending power and longer stays.

Meanwhile, Sam Chen, deputy general director of Hoang Tra Travel, expressed his confidence: "Phu Quoc is a new destination with room for future development. The island embodies the unique identity of the local people, offering adventurous experiences and fresh discoveries. With effective promotion across media channels, Phu Quoc will capture the attention of international visitors and become a hot travel destination."

In 2024, Phu Quoc is estimated to welcome 5.9 million visitors, a 7.1% increase compared to the same period last year, according to statistics from the Kien Giang Department of Tourism. The number of international visitors is projected to reach 962,449, marking a 73.4% growth year-on-yearr and surpassing the annual target by 44.4%.

As of the end of November, Phu Quoc had hosted over 4,000 international flights, representing a growth of more than 175% year-on-year.

With its diverse range of tourism offerings, Phu Quoc is recognized as a destination capable of enticing travelers to return multiple times. From the perspective of leading global tourism enterprises, it can be said that Phu Quoc possesses the perfect combination of favorable timing, location, and human factors to become a new magnet for attracting tourists from around the world.