Phu Quoc is experiencing an unprecedented surge in visitor demand as hotels, resorts and homestays report full occupancy through the Lunar New Year period. Travel agents and holidaymakers say most accommodation is booked well into the first week after Tet, forcing many would-be visitors to postpone trips or seek alternative destinations.
Phu Quoc tourism boom drives full bookings through Lunar New Year
Local operators and travellers describe scenes of intense demand. Free Beach Resort owner Pham Van Sy told reporters the property has been fully booked for weeks and that he has even cleared space in storage to accommodate guests. Many establishments are asking new arrivals to return after the ninth day of the Lunar New Year when rooms are expected to free up.
The spike in arrivals is both domestic and international. Provincial tourism officials report that Phu Quoc receives around 60 flights a day, with roughly half being international services. In December the special economic zone recorded more than 670,000 visitor arrivals, a year-on-year rise of almost 93 percent, and international visitors climbed more than 226 percent.
Those figures helped push annual visitor numbers for the zone above 8.2 million in 2025, with tourism receipts exceeding 44 trillion VND. Provincial authorities are now aiming higher for 2026, planning to welcome 25 million visitors across the province and to increase international arrivals further.
Travel patterns show a notable increase from Eastern Europe and other foreign markets. Several accommodation providers said Russian travellers had pre-booked large blocks of rooms for extended stays, while other international guests sought last-minute lodgings, sometimes accepting cramped or improvised options.
Small operators are improvising to meet demand. Hosts in An Thoi and Ganh Dau have assembled temporary modular rooms and offered them at varied prices for trusted guests. Some homestays described offering basic rooms with shared facilities at reduced rates to avoid turning regular customers away.
The tourism boom coincides with efforts to promote sustainable development on the island. Resort operators have highlighted an ongoing shift towards greener infrastructure, improved waste management and smarter mobility as officials prepare the destination for APEC 2027 and longer term sustainable growth.
Tourism leaders also attribute part of the surge to shifting regional patterns. Instability at other destinations and severe weather affecting competing domestic resorts have redirected travellers to Phu Quoc, which is perceived as a safe and well-served alternative.
For now, travellers planning to visit during the New Year holidays are advised to confirm bookings well in advance or consider travel dates beyond the ninth day of the Lunar New Year. Industry stakeholders say the current rush presents both opportunity and pressure: the immediate economic gains are substantial, but sustained growth will depend on capacity planning and continued investment in sustainable infrastructure.
Key Takeaways:
- Phu Quoc tourism boom has pushed hotel occupancy to near capacity, with many properties booked until after the ninth day of the Lunar New Year.
- International arrivals surged in 2025, driving record receipts and daily international flights to the island.
- Local operators are adopting temporary measures, while resorts promote green and sustainable tourism ahead of APEC 2027.
