Nine-month tourism revenue tops the annual target as Phu Quoc keeps the experience going after sunset

 

Phu Quoc’s tourism revenue has exceeded its full-year target by 1%, accounting for nearly 80% of An Giang province’s total.

In the first nine months of 2026, Phu Quoc is estimated to have welcomed more than 8.57 million visitors, up 30.5% year on year. These included more than 1.92 million international visitors, an increase of 60.2%. Total tourism revenue is estimated at approximately VND 45.976 trillion, up 47.7% and 1% above the full-year target. The Pearl Island continues to account for nearly 80% of An Giang province’s total tourism revenue.

The figures point to Phu Quoc’s growing appeal, particularly among international travellers. Notably, revenue is rising faster than visitor numbers, suggesting an important avenue for development: alongside attracting more visitors, the destination can generate greater value by enriching the experiences on offer during each stay.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Trung Luong, former Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, believes that destinations seeking to strengthen their competitiveness need to innovate, curate and connect tourism products into compelling itineraries. Beautiful beaches may draw visitors to Phu Quoc, but their holidays are also shaped by what happens beyond the shore: where to go in the afternoon, what to eat in the evening and what to look forward to after dark.

 

The world-record-holding cable car carries visitors to a world of entertainment on Hon Thom Island.

This progression is particularly evident in southern Phu Quoc. In the morning, visitors can take the cable car to Hon Thom Island to enjoy the sea and a range of leisure activities. By late afternoon, they return to watch the sunset at Kiss Bridge. After dark, performances on the water, fireworks, dining and lively streets keep the area buzzing.

The key lies not simply in the wider choice, but in how these experiences unfold at different times of day. An itinerary that might once have ended after a daytime excursion now offers more to look forward to in the afternoon and evening. Visitors enjoy a more fulfilling holiday, while restaurants, shops, transport providers and entertainment businesses gain further opportunities to serve them.

 

Shows such as Symphony of the Sea bring added energy to the destination and enrich visitors’ experiences after dark.

According to Assoc. Prof. Dr. Pham Trung Luong, keeping a tourism area active across different times of day also improves the use of existing infrastructure. At the same location, daytime experiences and evening activities can deliver different forms of value. This allows a destination to add depth to its offering by building on the resources it already has.

Of course, Phu Quoc’s tourism revenue growth reflects a range of factors, from visitor markets and air connectivity to accommodation and service quality across the island. Yet refreshing and connecting experiences helps explain part of the Pearl Island’s growing appeal: visitors have both more places to explore and more to do throughout their stay.

This approach is also in keeping with the spirit of the Politburo’s Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW on developing Vietnam’s tourism into a spearhead economic sector in the new era. The resolution emphasises a shift from growth driven by visitor numbers towards the quality of experiences and added value. It also sets out a direction for Phu Quoc to gradually become a new growth pole and an internationally competitive centre for high-end coastal and island resort tourism.

Nearly VND 46 trillion in tourism revenue in nine months demonstrates the scale Phu Quoc’s tourism market has reached. How the destination continues to refresh the visitor journey will help determine how much further that figure can grow.