Phu Quoc has been named as one of the most favorite destinations in the rankings of international organizations. In early October, CNN Traveler unveiled Readers’ Choice Awards 2023 which shows that Phu Quoc has been for the second time in a row named on the list of Asian islands, ranking 8th with 88.89 points. 

Yonhap News called Phu Quoc ‘Vietnam’s Maldives’. Business Post praised the beautiful beaches on Phu Quoc, especially in the southern part of the island, from which people can see the sunset. It recommended travelers to visit there from November to April, the best time to participate in outdoor activities, such as diving and kayaking.

Phu Quoc is the only Vietnamese name on the list of top islands in the world in 2023 voted by Condé Nast Traveler readers.

The island. however, doesn’t attract many Vietnamese travelers these days. Tours to Phu Quoc remain unsold, hotels are deserted and restaurants cannot attract guests. 

Reports show that the number of travelers to Phu Quoc during high travel season in 2023 is much lower than the same period last year. The island received 62,500 travelers on the National Day holiday, down 26.5 percent.

Thu Trang, a tourism retail agent in Hanoi, said sales of tours to Phu Quoc have never seen such a slump.

“There are a lot of combos for clients’ choice, and 4-star hotel room rates have decreased by 10-20 percent compared with the same period last year, and travelers can get free meals and shuttle bus, but travelers are indifferent to the attractive offers,” Trang said.

In general, in the last months of the year, the northern and central regions cannot attract travelers who like sea tours. However, this still cannot help Phu Quoc.

“Some clients have asked for information about tours to Phu Quoc on the 2024 New Year holiday, but they remain indecisive when I quote the tours fees,” she added.

Many travel firms confirmed the poor patronage. A senior executive from Wondertour said the number of GIT (Group Inclusive Tour) travelers asking about tours to Phu Quoc has dropped dramatically. Phu Quoc tours, which was once the hottest product in 2022, have become lackluster.

According to Wondertour CEO Le Cong Nang, the number of travelers booking tours to Phu Quoc at the firm is just equal to 20 percent of that in 2022. With the same budgets, GIT travelers would rather book outbound tours (to Thailand and China by land, and to Singapore) rather than tours to Phu Quoc.

VietSense Travel has estimated that the number of travelers this year is just equal to 60 percent of that in previous years.

“The number of travelers to Phu Quoc at most travel firms, including VietSense Travel, has plummeted since late April and early May,” said VietSense Travel CEO Nguyen Van Tai.

What to do?

According to Nang, while Phuket is called a gem in the Andaman Sea, Phu Quoc is the flower of the Gulf of Thailand. With the total area of 550 square kilometers, similar climate and soil conditions, Phu Quoc and Phuket are compared in terms of tourism potential and activities.

“There are not many islands in the world which have such a rich biodiversity, long coastline, and beautiful beaches in warm waters like Phu Quoc. There are also many precious produce such as natural pearls, agarwood, pepper, and melaleuca mushrooms; cultural and historical relics such as Phu Quoc Prison, Dinh Cau Temple and Ho Quoc Pagoda; entertainment complexes such as Sun World Hon Thom and Vinpearl Safari, and craft villages making fish sauce, growing pepper and culturing pearl,” Nang said. 

However, after the Covid-19 pandemic, the number of international travelers to Phu Quoc has been just equal to 6 percent of the travelers to Phuket. Meanwhile, domestic travelers, who account for 85 percent of total travelers, tend to turn their back on Phu Quoc.

According to Tai, the problem lies in the high airfares. Sixty percent of travelers come to Phu Quoc by air and 40 percent by boat. Nang confirmed that high airfares increase the cost of a self-guided tour to more than VND10 million.

Ngoc Ha