The world-record-holding cable car carries visitors to a world of entertainment on Hòn Thơm Island. — Photo courtesy of Sun Group

AN GIANG — Nine-month tourism revenue tops annual target as Phú Quốc keeps the experience going after sunset With more than 8.57 million visitors and nearly VNĐ46 trillion in tourism revenue in nine months, Phú Quốc has surpassed its full-year revenue target. Alongside the appeal of its beaches and islands, experiences that flow from day into night are enriching visitors’ itineraries and opening up new opportunities for local tourism services.

In the first nine months of 2026, Phú Quốc is estimated to have welcomed more than 8.57 million visitors, up 30.5 per cent year on year. These included more than 1.92 million international visitors, an increase of 60.2 per cent. Total tourism revenue is estimated at approximately VNĐ45.976 trillion, up 47.7 per cent and 1 per cent above the full-year target. The Pearl Island continues to account for nearly 80 per cent of An Giang province’s total tourism revenue.

The figures point to Phú Quốc’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. Phạm Trung Lương, 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 Phú Quốc, 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.

This progression is particularly evident in southern Phú Quốc. In the morning, visitors can take the cable car to Hòn Thơm 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.

According to Lương, 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, Phú Quốc’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 Việt Nam'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 Phú Quốc to gradually become a new growth pole and an internationally competitive centre for high-end coastal and island resort tourism.

Nearly VNĐ46 trillion in tourism revenue in nine months demonstrates the scale Phú Quốc’s tourism market has reached. How the destination continues to refresh the visitor journey will help determine how much further that figure can grow. — VNA/VNS