At exactly 01:00 on January 1, 2026, Flight W207 from Incheon (the RoK) landed at Phu Quoc International Airport. Right at the arrivals area, representatives of Phu Quoc International Airport extended a warm welcome along with the very best New Year wishes to all passengers.

Notably, the guests also received special gifts – experience vouchers for entertainment services at Sunset Town with a value of up to VND1 million (US$38) per guest.

Kim Min-soo from the RoK, one of the first passengers to arrive, happily shared: “This is my first time in Phu Quoc. We were truly surprised to receive New Year’s greetings and gifts from the airport right after stepping off the plane. I feel delighted and very excited about my first trip of the year.”

The welcome event took place as Phu Quoc had just concluded a year of exceptional growth. Over the past year, Pearl Island welcomed more than 8.1 million visitors, including nearly 2 million international arrivals, bringing in record revenue of nearly VND44 trillion – more than double that of the previous year. On average, the island receives around 100 flights per day, with almost 50% being international services.

In line with the growth momentum of the destination, passenger throughput at Phu Quoc International Airport also increased by 44% compared to the same period last year and is expected to reach around 8 million passengers in 2026.

This strong growth, especially from the RoK market, has been driven by the increasingly completed ecosystem of tourism, hospitality, and entertainment in the southern part of the island, alongside an expanding air network. Notably, the launch of Sun PhuQuoc Airways, positioned as an airline centred on Phu Quoc, has significantly enhanced connectivity to Pearl Island while optimising travel costs.

Later the same day, Phu Quoc International Airport will officially be transferred to the operation of Sun Airport Corporation (SAC) of Sun Group. This milestone is considered strategic, promising to create a powerful boost not only for the Phu Quoc special administrative – economic zone but also for the long-term development of An Giang province in a new era.

Positive signals for nationwide tourism as Vietnam welcomes its first visitors of 2026

VOV.VN - Localities across Vietnam simultaneously organized ceremonies to welcome the first international and domestic visitors of the New Year at airports, seaports and key tourist destinations on the morning of January 1, 2026.