Phu Quoc - The beginning of hope for the tourism recovery journey.

In the Asian region, Thailand is a pioneer in opening its doors to international tourists through the "Phuket Sandbox" program. Vietnam can also learn from Thailand's strategy and adapt it to suit its market. While the reopening plan for Phu Quoc shares many similarities with Phuket, Mr. Mauro noted some key differences. One is that tourism in Phuket relies heavily on the international market, whereas Phu Quoc is primarily a domestic destination (90%), indicating that domestic tourists remain the main source of revenue for the island.

In addition, Mr. Mauro also pointed out several issues to consider before implementing the pilot project. Firstly, there is the issue of time; preparations need to be completed to ensure a safe and successful reopening. Secondly, there is the potential to attract tourists, given Vietnam's rich cultural experiences and numerous famous tourist destinations. However, the current application of a vaccine passport has limitations on travel and restricting access to specific locations, which could negatively impact its ability to attract tourists.

Speaking about the challenges in Phu Quoc's plan, Mr. Mauro offered this advice: “If we want to succeed in quickly attracting international tourists, we need to ensure safety throughout their stay. I believe there will soon be a 'race' from many different destinations to demonstrate that the risk of virus transmission remains low. However, it is also necessary to ensure that in case of infection, the locality will have medical facilities and international hospitals with safe procedures, adequate conditions for treatment and care, and support for foreign tourists. In addition, another difficult issue that can be foreseen in the reopening process is the human resources and working environment, which will be more volatile and risky than before.”

“Hopefully, as soon as the situation is under control, domestic tourism will recover and Phu Quoc will be one of the main destinations for domestic tourists. For the international market, Phu Quoc needs to strive to build its brand, improve infrastructure, and upgrade services to enhance its competitiveness,” Mr. Mauro added.

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Huyen Chau - Photo: Internet