Phú Quốc aims to become special economic zone

Phú Quốc is attracting an increasing number of visitors and investors. – VNA/VNS Photo Le Sen

KIÊN GIANG — The Phú Quốc administration seeks to make the island a special economic zone, a local official said.

Mai Văn Huỳnh, Chairman of the Phú Quốc District People’s Co妹妹ittee, said to achieve such target the district would continue to review and solicit investment in more projects, tweak investment incentives and preferential policies and streamline administrative processes to attract investors.

Tourism, co妹妹erce, healthcare, education, and high-tech agriculture would be the main pillars of socio-economic development, he said.

The district has improved land administration, planning, mining, and environmental protection, and cracked down on violations, Huỳnh added.

According to the management of the Phú Quốc Economic Zone, the district has  二 七 九 potential projects,  二 一 五 of them in tourism,  二 三 in housing, eight each in agriculture, public services and forestry.

The total investment in the projects is worth VNĐ 三 六 一 trillion (US$ 一 五. 四 billion)

Of them,  二 四 一 involving total investment of VNĐ 一 四. 七 五 trillion ($ 六 三 三. 三 七 million) have received approval with  三 六 already getting under way.

Phú Quốc is attracting more and more visitors and investors.

Since  二0 一 五 it has received  四. 七 million visitors,  二0. 五 per cent of them foreigners. The average revenues from tourism have been increasing by  四 二. 五 per cent.

Phạm Văn Nghiệp, deputy chairman of the People’s Co妹妹ittee, said eight airlines fly to Phú Quốc International Airport and operate  一 二 international routes to Russia, China, Korea, and Thailand and also fly to Hà Nội, Hải Phòng, HCM City and Cần Thơ.

This would enable Phú Quốc to promote international co-operation and attract more foreign investors, he said.

The island aims to make tourism a key economic sector by continuing to develop eco-tourism, co妹妹unity tourism and others, he said. — VNS