Phu Quoc tourism capitalizes on opportunities from international music events.

International music events act as a catalyst, helping to revitalize tourism in Phu Quoc. What will the island do to capitalize on and maintain its appeal after the event is over?

Tourism in Phu Quoc is booming again.

From the morning of December 16th, at Grand World Phu Quoc, electric vehicles, taxis, and other large vehicles brought crowds of tourists to visit and enjoy the Vietnamese cultural area, the Phu Quoc Teddy Bear Museum, the legendary Phu Quoc bamboo structure, and more.

At Bai Vong port (Ham Ninh commune) and Phu Quoc International Airport, there is also a bustling crowd of tourists.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mong Nhu, a tourist from District 1 (Ho Chi Minh City), said she and her family are on a two-day trip to Phu Quoc. Besides sightseeing, swimming, and having fun, Ms. Nhu also came to see the 8Wonder music festival held on the evening of December 16th.

"Phu Quoc is quite bustling with tourists. The Grand World area has plenty of places to eat and have fun, and we're especially looking forward to seeing Maroon 5 perform tonight," said Ms. Nhu.

According to Mr. Nguyen Vu Khac Huy, General Director of Vina Phu Quoc Tourism Co., Ltd., from now until the 2024 New Year, Phu Quoc tourism will be very vibrant with many world-class events such as the 8Wonder music festival at Vinpearl Phu Quoc and the launch of the Marriage Proposal (December 22nd). Domestic tourists, international tourists, and foreigners living and working in Vietnam will come to the island to have fun.

Mr. Tran Quoc Khanh, chairman of the Kien Giang Tourism Association, said that international-level events are a condition for Phu Quoc tourism to become vibrant again. Currently, the occupancy rate of 4-5 star hotels in Phu Quoc has reached about 70%, while the occupancy rate of 3-star hotels has not yet met expectations. However, the situation will improve further by the New Year.

Leverage international events to elevate the destination.

Following the Charlie Puth concert in Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa, the ripple effects were noted, bringing nearly 8,000 people to Nha Trang, increasing hotel bookings sixfold compared to normal days, and a similar effect occurred in Phu Quoc.

Mr. Juergen Doerr, CEO of Vinpearl Holding Company, affirmed that music festivals are not just entertainment events, but rather platforms that create and elevate the image of an entire destination and the reputation of a nation.

Season 1 of 8Wonder made a splash with Charlie Puth's performance at Vinpearl Nha Trang. And in season 2, Maroon 5 is also a band of global hits. This collaboration will promote the destination as well as the world-class status of the artists.

And in recent days, along with the keyword Maroon 5, news surrounding "Phu Quoc," "8wonder," etc., has attracted a lot of attention from the media and social networks.

According to Traveloka's statistics, during the two days of BlackPink's concert in Hanoi, more than 170,000 tourists visited the city, generating significant revenue.

"The Maroon 5 concert on December 16th in Phu Quoc also contributed to boosting the tourism industry. Our latest data shows that searches for flights to Phu Quoc during the Maroon 5 concert ticket sales period increased tenfold compared to the previous month. In addition, the number of hotel check-ins in Phu Quoc during the concert more than doubled compared to the previous week," said Caesar Indra, president of Traveloka.

According to Juergen Doerr, the effectiveness of this promotional method over the two seasons of 8Wonder has proven to be very effective in terms of media coverage and economic impact.

"We have worked with international consultants to create a world-class program to promote and boost Vietnamese tourism and Vietnamese destinations. We chose Phu Quoc not only because it has a beachfront stage with a capacity of 10,000 people."

More importantly, this is a tourist destination where Vinpearl has a complete ecosystem with Phu Quoc Safari, Vinwonders, and the Vinpearl accommodation system. This can boost tourism in Vietnam as a whole.

"Our plan is to organize music festivals, events annually or twice a year. Right after this 8Wonder Winter Festival, we'll start working on the next one," Juergen Doerr affirmed.

Phu Quoc benefits from international music shows.

On the afternoon of December 16th, Mr. Huynh Quang Hung, Chairman of the People's Committee of Phu Quoc City, stated that Phu Quoc had never before hosted a music festival of international caliber as spectacular as the 8Wonder Winter Festival.

The event featuring the American band Maroon 5 had a positive impact not only on Phu Quoc but also on Vietnamese tourism. On December 15th and 16th, the number of flights was increased with wide-body aircraft bringing a large number of tourists from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Phu Quoc to see the Maroon 5 concert.

In the last months of 2023, the number of visitors to Phu Quoc increased dramatically, with an average of 12-15 international flights arriving daily. Flights from South Korea alone accounted for nearly half, with 5-6 flights per day. Simultaneously, the number of domestic visitors also increased significantly, with approximately 90 round-trip flights.

By the end of 2023, Phu Quoc estimated it had welcomed approximately 2.8 million visitors, including nearly 300,000 international tourists.

According to Mr. Huynh Quang Hung, in order to continue maintaining growth, the city is proposing that the Vietnam National Tourism Administration implement more promotional programs and that airlines adopt reasonable pricing policies that are balanced within the proportion of people's travel expenses.