Vietnam’s Phu Quoc tourism faces infrastructure, environmental, service quality challenges: officials

The workshop, jointly held by the Kien Giang Department of Tourism and Phu Quoc City authorities, discussed a draft proposal to position the island as a center for marine and island tourism, with a focus on sustainability and international standards.

Huynh Van Da, associate professor at Can Tho University, said the proposal demonstrates a long-term strategic vision but warned that the island's narrow space means careful planning is needed to manage tourist capacity, waste treatment and environmental protection.

"Waste management is not a simple issue for Phu Quoc," Da said. 

"The island must also consider how tourism affects marine ecosystems, as more tourists are now concerned about environmental impact."

Pham Duc Huy, deputy general director of tourism infrastructure developer Sun Group in southern Vietnam, said infrastructure remains the biggest barrier to sustainable development on the island. 

He urged local authorities to accelerate the expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport, calling it "a critical bottleneck" in bringing more visitors to the island.

Huy also recommended launching a communication campaign such as 'I Love Phu Quoc,' and applying AI tools to improve services and shorten language training time for local tourism workers. 

He suggested the city develop a post-APEC 2027 strategy to attract meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism.

APEC, or the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, is a regional economic forum that Vietnam is scheduled to host in 2027.

Bui Quoc Thai, director of the Kien Giang Department of Tourism, said Phu Quoc's compliance with global tourism standards is currently at just 13 percent, compared to 30 percent in Da Nang. 

He added that infrastructure strain and pollution remain serious challenges.

The proposal includes goals such as achieving net-zero emissions by 2030, transitioning 100 percent of local transport to electric vehicles, and treating 50 percent of waste using renewable energy. 

It also aims to increase the island's airport capacity to handle 10 million passengers by 2030—including 2.5 million international arrivals—with total tourism revenue reaching VND50 trillion (US$2 billion).

By 2045, Phu Quoc is targeting 15 million annual visitors and VND75 trillion ($2.8 billion) in revenue.

Plans also include developing a seaport capable of receiving cruise ships with up to 4,000 passengers.

The island is seeking public-private partnerships in renewable energy, luxury tourism and smart infrastructure, with strategic projects planned in support of APEC 2027.

The development is expected to benefit about 17,500 local households through tourism-related jobs, homestays and services, with an income target of VND150 million ($5,757) per household per year by 2030.