Young people flock to Phu Quy Island.

Many young people in Binh Thuan choose to live on Phu Quy Island for several months, enjoying "green" tourism before the area is transformed by urbanization and resort development.

Le Huyen, 24 years old, originally from Phu Tho province, has lived and worked in Hanoi for 6 years, but recently moved to Phu Quy Island for a "trial run" of over 2 months. After an initial period of "crisis due to the change in living environment," Huyen realized that Phu Quy is "easy to adapt to," with its slow, relaxed pace of life and beautiful scenery. The low cost of living is another factor attracting many young people like Huyen to Phu Quy, with total expenses around 5-6 million VND per month.

Because she works freelance, Huyen is more proactive in finding sources of income to cover her living expenses. Currently, many young people who come to live on Phu Quy Island are trusted by tourists and hired as tour guides when they visit the island. Huyen herself has also become more well-known thanks to her posts about life on Phu Quy Island.

Le Huyen has lived on Phu Quy Island for more than two months. Photo: Le Huyen — Le Huyen has lived on Phu Quy Island for more than two months. Photo: *Le Huyen*

According to Huyen, there is a phenomenon of "leaving the city for the coast" in Phu Quy. After a short time there, Huyen made many new friends who also came from the city, some of whom have stayed in Phu Quy for up to four months.

Pham Tan Hiep, a local tour guide, said that in the first few months of 2023, his number of visitors was 2-3 times higher than in the same period of previous years. Hiep's income also improved significantly after the pandemic. Most of his visitors were young people who said they wanted to visit Phu Quy "before tourism changes the place."

Dang Thi Nguyet, the owner of a homestay in Long Hai, was surprised by the rapid development of Phu Quy Island in the past year. "Before, Phu Quy only had a few tourists from within Binh Thuan province. I don't understand why Phu Quy has suddenly become so popular so quickly," said Ms. Nguyet, who has lived on the island since childhood.

According to her, the number of customers increased significantly after the pandemic, peaking about two months after the Lunar New Year. The majority of customers are young people, with few group tours. Long-term rentals, lasting several months, account for approximately 40% of Ms. Nguyet's total customers.

The remarkable tourism development of Phu Quy Island has led her to offer her newly built four-room house, completed in early 2022, to guests. She plans to invest in another homestay if the number of visitors remains as promising as it is now.

Speaking to VnExpress , Mr. Bui The Nhan, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Binh Thuan province, explained that Phu Quy Island is attractive to young people after the pandemic because it is a beautiful island with pristine natural scenery and almost untouched by professional tourism services. The "green" lifestyle after the pandemic and the trend of contactless tourism also make unspoiled destinations like Phu Quy more popular. In addition, good communication and well-organized management of tourism business activities also help Phu Quy "score points" in the eyes of tourists.

In 2019, the island welcomed 42,000 visitors, and the projected number for 2030 was 74,000. However, since 2022, Phu Quy has received 93,875 visitors, far exceeding initial expectations. During the recent April 30th holiday, Phu Quy welcomed approximately 7,000 visitors. Many tourists visiting the island were unable to find accommodation due to limited lodging options.

A homestay area in Phu Quy. Photo: Hiep Phu Quy — A homestay area in Phu Quy. Photo: *Hiep Phu Quy*

Phu Quy Island has 56 operating accommodation establishments with a total of 678 rooms, including 17 hotels, 31 guesthouses, and 8 houses with rooms for rent. The district also has approximately 150 food and beverage establishments.

Mr. Nhan stated that the number of accommodation and dining establishments in Phu Quy has met the needs of tourists on normal days. However, during holidays with a high concentration of tourists, a shortage of rooms may still occur. Phu Quy also lacks ranked tourist accommodation facilities capable of accommodating high-spending tourists or international visitors.

That's also part of the reason why Phu Quy Island has become so popular but hasn't attracted large group tours, instead focusing on young, independent travelers. Mr. Bui Thanh Tu, Marketing Director of Best Price, said that tourism businesses usually only invest in products in routes that are easy to sell. For example, Thailand has the beautiful and pristine Hua Hin region, but there are very few vendors selling there. Chiang Mai is more famous, but it doesn't sell as well as the Bangkok-Pattaya route.

"On the other hand, the current infrastructure in Phu Quy is not sufficient to serve tour groups. Simply being pristine is not enough," Mr. Tu said.

According to Mr. Nhan, Binh Thuan aims to make Phu Quy a key tourist destination by 2025, maximizing its potential for beach and island resort tourism, cultural exploration, and seafood cuisine. The Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has outlined several plans, including mobilizing and facilitating new tourism and marine sports projects, investing in infrastructure and facilities in Phu Quy, and constructing wastewater treatment systems on the island.

Tu Nguyen

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