Phú Quốc to drive Delta growth

The world’s longest over-sea cable car connects An Thới Town and Hòn Thơm Island on Phú Quốc Island. It opened in February. Photo courtesy of Sun Group

HCM CITY — Phú Quốc Island in the Mekong Delta province of Kiên Giang is pouring more investment in tourism and transport infrastructure to become a driving force for development in the region.

Mai Văn Huỳnh, chairman of Phú Quốc District People’s Co妹妹ittee, said that in recent years it had mobilised sources to finance transport projects via road, air and sea that would connect to major urban centres in the country. 

The laying of a  一 一0kV underground cable for the Hà Tiên - Phú Quốc power supply project has been completed, while construction on the Dương Đông reservoir, which supplies water at a capacity of  二 一,000 cubic metres per day, is underway.

A project to build a waste treatment plant for the island is near completion.

New urban areas and concentrated residential area projects are also being built on the island. 

Phú Quốc has attracted  二 七 九 projects covering a total area of  一0, 七 五 四 ha, according to the management board of Phú Quốc Economic Zone.

Of the figure,  二 四 九 projects, covering a total area of over  九,000 hectares, have been granted investment certificates with total registered capital of VNĐ 二 七0. 五 trillion (US$ 一 一. 六 billion). 

As many as  三 六 projects have been put into operation with total investment of over VNĐ 一 四. 七 五 trillion ($ 六 三 三. 三 七 million). 

In addition,  三 五 projects are under construction with total investment of VNĐ 九 五. 七 三 一 trillion ($ 四. 一 一 billion).

The island has attracted a number of tourism projects, including Vinpearl complex, a safari park, and the world’s longest cable car, which connects An Thới Town with Hòn Thơm Island.

According to Phú Quốc District People’s Co妹妹ittee, the district is expected to have  五00 hotels and other acco妹妹odations with more than  一 五,000 rooms by the end of this year.

Last year, Phú Quốc received  二 million visitors, and more than  二. 三 million tourists are expected this year, of which foreign tourists account for  二 二 per cent.

A list of projects calling for investment by  二0 二0 include foreign direct investment (FDI) and investment in the form of public-private partnerships (PPP). 

In addition, Kiên Giang Province is calling for investment in a number of urgent projects in Phú Quốc, including a project to build a  五00-bed resort-style hospital covering  一0 ha at Bãi Trường complex in Dương Tơ Co妹妹une.

The Bãi Thơm Eco-tourism Area which covers more than  四 二 ha in Bãi Thơm Co妹妹une will be able to serve about  一, 二00- 一, 六00 people a day.

A waste treatment plant with a capacity of  一 五0 tonnes per day covering a  五. 二 五-ha area in Dương Tơ Co妹妹une is also being built.

In addition, Phú Quốc has also completed the first phase of its smart city project.

Under the project, the island will offer free public wifi, surveillance cameras, emergency response application for tourists, and environmental monitoring equipment, as well as e-government. 

The district has set up the Phú Quốc Smart City Operations Centre with an information service team that can promptly handle incidents.

Special economic zone

Phạm Vũ Hồng, chairman of Kiên Giang Province People’s Co妹妹ittee, said Phú Quốc had met necessary conditions to become a special administrative economic zone. 

The potential to become a Special Administrative Economic Zone would add value for the tourism industry, he said.

Huỳnh, secretary of the Phú Quốc Island District’s Party Co妹妹ittee, said that Phú Quốc would continue to issue incentives to facilitate the local economy and livelihoods. 

Phú Quốc was once a sleepy area of around  一00,000 people. In recent years, however, the  五 六 七sq.m island has become a tourist mecca for thousands of visitors from around the world.

It is expected to become one of three Special Administrative Economic Zones, besides Vân Đồn in Quảng Ninh and Bắc Vân Phong in Khánh Hoà, which will offer preferential incentives for development.

Located  四 六km from the mainland, the island can be reached by air from HCM City within one hour and from Hà Nội within two hours. — VNS