What does Phu Quoc need to seize this historic opportunity and take off alongside APEC 2027?

The workshop "Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone - Taking Off with APEC," co-organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Research and Sun Group, recently brought together nearly one hundred experts and scientists to offer suggestions on how to transform APEC 2027 into a strategic launching pad and reposition the destination's brand on the international tourism map.

A historic opportunity for Phu Quoc

According to experts, with the decisive involvement of local authorities and the dedicated support of strategic investors such as Sun Group , key projects serving APEC 2027 are being constructed at a rapid pace, with quality that is on par with, or even surpasses, world standards.

Against the backdrop of Phu Quoc being chosen as the venue for APEC 2027, the workshop "Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone - Taking Flight with APEC" was organized to define a new vision and position for Phu Quoc, and to propose ideas and solutions to transform APEC 2027 into a strategic launching pad and reposition the destination brand on the international tourism map.

Accordingly, the APEC 2027 event is not just a ceremonial diplomatic conference, but also a golden opportunity for Phu Quoc to promote the image of Vietnam to the world. This is a boost for Phu Quoc to make a strong breakthrough, but it is also a challenge for Phu Quoc to reach international standards and create a new special economic zone of the world.

During the seminar's discussion session, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Dinh Thien, former Director of the Vietnam Institute of Economics, affirmed that APEC 2027 is a golden opportunity for Phu Quoc, but also a major challenge and a national experiment.

Sharing the same view, economist Dr. Tran Du Lich believes that APEC is like a "super" MICE event, bringing great benefits to the destination brand, and will leave a long-term legacy for Phu Quoc. Accordingly, the main product pillars associated with APEC in Phu Quoc will be MICE tourism, high-end wellness and resort tourism, cultural and community-based tourism, night-time economy, and creative tourism.

Setting high expectations for the development of Phu Quoc Island, Dr. Vo Tri Thanh believes that, along with APEC, Phu Quoc should become a multi-functional city like Singapore, or even surpass Singapore.

This forum provides a platform for experts and guests to discuss and propose specific policies that can "give wings" to the breakthrough development of the Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone.

The Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone needs specific policies.

A historic opportunity is approaching, so what institutions and mechanisms will enable Phu Quoc to reach new heights, take off, and become a land of aspirations?

According to Associate Professor Tran Dinh Thien, Phu Quoc needs to have a special economic zone status directly under the central government. Maintaining the status of a special economic zone under the provincial government will stifle development opportunities, restrict Phu Quoc's capabilities, and limit its ability to create a "national image" to reach out to the world. "We need to discuss and agree on ways to elevate Phu Quoc to reach the world stage. Phu Quoc needs to be able to make its own decisions, act independently, and take responsibility before this country, and even before the international community," said Associate Professor Tran Dinh Thien.

Dr. Nguyen Si Dung, former Deputy Head of the National Assembly Office, believes that all decisions regarding Phu Quoc should be delegated to Phu Quoc. In addition, the land tax issue needs to be extended to create the best conditions for investors. At the same time, it is necessary to attract talented people to the island.

While acknowledging that Phu Quoc has the potential to become a new symbol of Vietnam's development in the next 10-20 years, similar to Jeju in South Korea or Dubai in the UAE, Dr. Tran Du Lich noted that to achieve this, the role of strategic investors needs to be strengthened. These investors are not simply profit-seekers, but have a mission to work with the government to create development. Furthermore, Phu Quoc must lead the way in green transformation in the digital age. It needs green spaces and areas for compact urban development.

Currently, Phu Quoc offers visa-free stays of up to 30 days for international tourists, a significant advantage in attracting international visitors. However, given that Phu Quoc has been positioned among the top 3 most beautiful islands in the world and has the opportunity to surpass popular destinations like Phuket and the Maldives thanks to APEC 2027, the island needs more relaxed mechanisms to increase its accessibility to high-quality international tourists and those who stay for longer periods.

According to Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute of Tourism Economics, in addition to maintaining and expanding visa policies, Phu Quoc needs to research a separate e-visa for APEC and post-APEC attendees. At the same time, it needs to study pilot programs to empower private and community participation in destination management.

The APEC Convention and Exhibition Center will feature the world's largest ballroom.

Associate Professor Pham Trung Luong stated that since the 2000s, Phu Quoc has proposed visa exemption for all international visitors and was the first island in Vietnam to have electricity. The current 30-day visa validity is no longer appropriate. “Phu Quoc needs to increase the visa validity to at least six months, because visitors to Phu Quoc now come for both tourism and work. Extending the visa validity will also help attract human resources and intellectual talent from around the world to Phu Quoc,” Associate Professor Pham Trung Luong affirmed.

According to Professor Pham Trung Luong, direct flights from various markets are crucial for attracting international tourists. Currently, Phu Quoc only has four direct flights from the region, the most recent being from India, which is far too few. Therefore, policies are needed to decentralize power to local authorities, and even businesses, to facilitate the connection of direct flights.

At the same time, to attract cruise ships by sea, Phu Quoc needs to focus on tourism logistics, research the possibility of extending the urban railway system, and invest heavily in developing the public transportation system. Accordingly, the special economic zone needs policies to encourage investors to invest in cross-island projects, aiming to attract tourists to live and work there.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Tran Minh Khoa, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, informed that the Special Economic Zone had organized a conference to sign a commitment to "Green Transformation" with international businesses and organizations, aiming to move Phu Quoc towards Net Zero – achieving zero net emissions. Currently, the Green Transformation project is being urgently implemented and is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2026. "On the routes from the airport to the north and south of the island, 100% of buses are electric and no longer use fossil fuels. This is the first step in implementing 'green transportation' in Phu Quoc. Later, we will aim to develop green tourism, green governance, and a green living environment when the project is completed," Mr. Tran Minh Khoa affirmed.

Mr. Tran Minh Khoa, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Quoc Special Economic Zone, shared information about the projects and works for APEC 2027.

Adding to the green and sustainable development orientation, Associate Professor Pham Trung Luong suggested that Phu Quoc needs to manage the number of tourists according to the destination's carrying capacity. Phu Quoc should aim for high-spending tourists, not just quantity. To achieve this, policies are needed to support investors, especially strategic investors.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/phu-quoc-can-gi-de-chop-thoi-co-lich-su-cat-canh-cung-apec-2027-185251215111751482.htm