Infrastructure investment, tourism promotion boost Phu Yen's popularity

While famous tourist hotspots like Phu Quoc and Da Lat saw fewer visitors during the four-day National Day weekend, Phu Yen in the south central coast was one of the few places to witness arrivals grow at 38% from the Reunification Day (April 30-May 3) break.

Nguyen Thi Hong Thai, acting director of the provincial Department of Tourism, said the number of visitors to Phu Yen during last weekend holiday increased by 138% of pre-pandemic levels while room occupancy rates reached over 90%.

"These figures were beyond our expectations," Thai added.

Infrastructure investment and tourism promotion campaigns have been credited for the recent tourist number growth, said Dao My, vice chairman of Phu Yen Province.

Tourism has been identified as a key economic sector in Phu Yen and provincial authorities have poured investment into infrastructure projects, preserved national relics as well as called on investors to develop high-end accommodation facilities, My said.

Five years ago, there were no four-to-five-star hotels in Phu Yen but now, high-end accommodation has been developed across the coastal province with various choices including Zannier Hotels Bai San Ho and a system of high-class hotels like Rosa Alba Resort, Stelia Beach Resort, Sala Grand Tuy Hoa Hotel, Saigon Phu Yen Hotel and Apec Mandala Wyndham.

In addition, convenient flight connections also boost Phu Yen's rising popularity.

Currently there are daily flights from Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to Tuy Hoa Airport in Phu Yen with round-trip tickets ranging from VND2-4 million ($85-170).

This year, Phu Yen has set a target of receiving two million tourists, including 20,000 foreign arrivals and earning tourism revenues of VND2 trillion.

In 2019, Phu Yen welcomed 1.8 million arrivals.