Phu Quoc represents golden hope for Vietnamese tourism rebound
VOV.VN - Phu Quoc island city in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang is anticipated to lead the way in reviving the country’s tourism industry moving into the post-pandemic period, according to industry insiders.
Quang Xuan Lua, deputy director of the Kien Giang Department of Tourism, says tourism activities in Phu Quoc got off to a good start late last year as the island city received nine flights carrying a total of 974 foreign passengers on a trial basis.
Most notably, the TIME magazine of the United States listed Phu Quoc among the World's 100 Greatest Places of 2021 for the first time, regardless of the severe negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the tourism industry.
Lua emphasizes that Kien Giang has set its sights on welcoming 5.6 million tourists, including 200,000 international visitors this year.
Tran Van Tho, head of Culture and Information Department under the Phu Quoc City People's Committee, points out that there are bright prospects ahead for Phu Quoc tourism industry this year, particularly following the increasing number of visitors, especially foreign travelers, to the city.
Currently, Phu Quoc has roughly 25,000 accommodation rooms, of which over 10,000 rooms are of a five-star standard. All people and workers in the island city have now been fully vaccinated with booster shots being deployed in the region.
Dinh Ngoc Duc, director of the Tourism Market Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism says (VNAT), outlines Phu Quoc is one of the leading destinations in Vietnam that represents a magnet to several large corporations thanks to boasting advantages in terms of entry visas, airline linkages, and tourism resources.
Nguyen Vu Khac Huy, vice chairman of the Kien Giang Tourism Association, notes Phu Quoc's reopening to international tourists, especially high-end holidaymakers, has turned it into an attractive destination to foreign visitors from various markets which will pay dividends to the industry as a whole.
The city is expected to welcome more than 2,000 visitors from markets such as Singapore, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and Mongolia in January, as well as nearly 1,000 foreign arrivals in February and March each.
Phung Quang Thang, chairman of the Hanoi Travel Association, emphasizes that with a number five-star standard accommodation facilities, along with several tourist attractions, Phu Quoc has emerged as a lucrative tourism destination compared to other ones in Southeast Asia.
Thang, however, underlines the necessity of combining maritime tourism with cultural and culinary tourism as a means of helping travelers explore unique characteristics of the locality in the time ahead.
