Centuries ago, the largest island in Vietnam was “favored” with the name Phu Quoc, meaning: a land of abundance, come here to live a prosperous and happy life. That invitation still has its appeal, until today.
The irresistible call of the “fertile land”
In Travel + Leisure, to describe Phu Quoc - one of the 25 most worth-visiting destinations in the world , writer Esha Dasgupta did not spare beautiful words to describe the natural beauty of the pearl island and the island's iconic experiences such as the world's longest 3-wire cable car to Hon Thom, Sao Beach, Kem Beach, Phu Quoc National Park...
Nature and many increasingly upgraded experiences are the attractive "enchantment" that "gives wings" to more than 150 flights departing from all continents every week to the Pearl Island. Thanks to that, in 2024, the local tourism industry reached the finish line with 962,449 international visitors, breaking the "record" of 2019.
International tourists enjoy checking in with fireworks from Vui Phet night market.
At this time, if you walk around Sunset Town in the south of the island, everyone will have the same question: is this Vietnam or a foreign country? Every shop, street, and entertainment spot can be heard in at least 3 languages. Many tourists have chosen Phu Quoc as a long-term vacation destination for the whole family because of its tropical paradise-like landscape, visa-free policy, temporary stay of up to 30 days, and direct flights with more reasonable costs than Phuket (Thailand), Bali (Indonesia).
Or it could be a representative of the “wave” of global citizens immigrating to the island city, like Arkadius Rieger, 38 years old, a Polish businessman who was “knocked out” by Phu Quoc during his journey around the world.
“Honestly, Phu Quoc was never part of the plan. I was on a trip around the world, friends took me to this paradise island. The beaches, the jungle, the island vibe and the freedom… attracted me. So I finally skipped my flight and decided to stay. Now, Phu Quoc is home. I have built a life here, with great friends and a job that allows me to stay on the island life. Early morning or sunset swims, cold beer and the sparkling lights of squid boats, it is truly a miracle”, Arkadius Rieger shared.
Or Lucas - who left the land of the White Birch to this place that Condé Nast Traveler magazine had to honor three times as the most wonderful island in the world to "make the dream of living between the sea and the mountains come true. " When I was looking for a place to teach in Vietnam eight years ago, Phu Quoc was the number 1 choice. At first, I only planned to stay here for 3 months. But 9 months and then 8 years have passed, and I'm still here. With only about 1,200 USD/month/2 people, you can live very comfortably. I probably won't move anywhere else in the near future," Lucas shared with his eyes filled with infatuation with this land.
Tropical beaches and exciting experiences are attracting international tourists to Phu Quoc.
Arkadius and Lucas are just two of the tens of thousands of people who have settled in Phu Quoc over the past two decades, contributing to the island's population nearly doubling to more than 150,000 people. It can be seen that this progress comes not only from the natural advantages of a leading tourist "paradise" but also from a series of policies to attract investment, develop infrastructure, and social security to turn the Pearl Island into a "living paradise" in the region.
Shaping the portrait of "living paradise"
Every night in the sky of Phu Quoc Island’s Sunset Town, there are two “fireworks festivals” that light up the sky amidst the roaring and applause of thousands of tourists. In terms of “playfulness” for tourism products, Phu Quoc deserves praise.
But if we look further at the "dancing" of economic , social and investment indicators in recent times, the island city should also receive applause for its efforts to transform itself into a tourist and residential destination in the region.
Sunset Town - World's Leading Iconic Tourist Destination 2024 according to World Travel Awards.
From an island with 3 no's: no electricity, no transportation, no fresh water, Phu Quoc - according to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh affirmed at the Conference summarizing Decision 178, has "turned nothing into something, turned difficult into easy, turned impossible into possible". Local budget revenue has increased more than 200 times in 20 years. The tourism industry alone has up to now had 274 projects, with a total investment capital of up to 388,410 billion VND.
Thanks to these advances, the material life and employment opportunities in the city have also improved day by day. The average income per capita in 2023 is approximately 5,000 USD/year, 40% higher than the national average. Among the 45,000 workers in the city's tourism industry, there are many foreign workers and experts. Just counting the billion-dollar entertainment complex of Sun Group, the number of foreign workers has reached several hundred.
However, to orientate to become an island city by 2040; a high-quality tourism and resort service center, super entertainment complexes with a total investment of thousands of billions of VND are not enough. The local government is applying many drastic actions, from the policy of asking for approval of the public budget to attracting investment from "big eagles" in infrastructure development to change the quality of life on the pearl island.
One of the key tasks is to develop education and healthcare. In addition to the existing infrastructure, on November 16, Phu Quoc Sun Hospital - Sun Serenia Hospital was also launched, aiming to provide high-end medical services with advanced machinery systems, along with a team of leading domestic and international consultants and doctors.
Phu Quoc Sun Hospital, when put into operation, will help tourists and residents feel secure when traveling to the pearl island.
Next, waste, wastewater and clean water treatment projects will also be deployed. These include the 18.5-hectare waste treatment plant in Ham Ninh commune, the spillway on Cua Can hanging lake with about 3 million m3 of water and combined with Duong Dong lake with 4 million m3 of water...
Phu Quoc is not only proving its own identity and brand on the regional tourism map but also getting closer to the model of "living paradise", as shared by Mr. Tran Minh Khoa - Chairman of the City People's Committee: " Phu Quoc will attract tourists to come weekly, and furthermore, it will become a place to settle down for foreign experts currently living and working in countries neighboring Vietnam."
PV
Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phu-quoc--hub-an-cu-ly-tuong-cua-cong-dan-toan-cau-post324799.html
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