Phu Quoc News

22/03/2019

Vietnam expects 30% annual economic growth for Phu Quoc over the next several years as the island develops. Tourism dominates the local economy and total visitor numbers to Phu Quoc are expected to reach 5 million within the next few years. While domestic tourists still account for an overwhelming majority, the international share has been growing and could reach 50%.

Vietnam expects 30% annual economic growth for Phu Quoc over the next several years as the island develops. Tourism dominates the local economy and total visitor numbers to Phu Quoc are expected to reach 5 million within the next few years. While domestic tourists still account for an overwhelming majority, the international share has been growing and could reach 50%.

22/03/2019

Vietnam’s IPP Group submitted a proposal earlier this year to develop a second terminal and second runway at Phu Quoc International Airport, which is currently part of the Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) portfolio. The proposed second terminal would be used for international services and have capacity to handle 10 million passengers per annum.

The airport’s current capacity is 4 million passengers per annum. The existing terminal was recently expanded by ACV, resulting in a 50% increase in capacity from an initial 2.65 million passengers per annum. However, the terminal is still relatively small, and will likely again be operating at capacity by the end of 2019.

Phu Quoc is on pace to reach 4 million passengers in 2019. Phu Quoc International Airport has been growing faster than expected since it opened at the end of 2012. Vietnam initially projected that the airport would reach its initial capacity of 2.65 million passengers in 2020, but this was reached (and exceeded) three years earlier in 2017.

The airport only reached 1 million annual passengers in 2014 and surpassed 2 million passengers in 2016. Traffic grew by nearly 40% in 2017.

22/03/2019

Phu Quoc will be seen as a lawless island if the government does not prosecute businesses who have violated Vietnam Law e.g. Buddy Ice Cream / VisitPQ.

The Vietnamese government needs to conduct a "Mueller style" investigation and revoke visas of every foreigner involved in crimes against the country, crimes against women, and the cover up.

18/03/2019

Ice cream, You scream! - Avoid Ice Cream imported from New Zealand while on Phu Quoc **Health Advisory 2019**

Aside from the well known risks of diabetes and obesity, ice cream imported from far off places like New Zealand to unregulated destinations like Phu Quoc, where melted ice cream is re-frozen, has the potential to make you very sick - the usual bacterial suspects include Campylobacter, Salmonella, E. coli and Listeria, all of which thrive in the summer’s warmer temperatures, causing spikes in the number of food poisoning cases.

Food manufacturers have checks and strategies to ensure the safety of ingredients, but once the product arrives in Phu Quoc, there are no returns and nothing is wasted. Those who sell the product will lie and claim that their product is healthy, as they know that stomach cramps and food poisoning illnesses cannot be traced to particular sellers - shady indeed, but this is Phu Quoc!

In the case of imported ice cream, Listeria bacteria were present in the ice cream at levels of one and ten colony forming units (cfu) per gram.

18/03/2019

Don't let the fancy gala's and product marketing gimmicks fool you, the 's "Phu Quoc Cham" "business networking event" is rooted in pure evil.

Phu Quoc Cham is name given for monthly business networking events on Phu Quoc Island in Vietnam. It is the brainchild of an old Australian expat, who sells counterfeit products via his shop - Buddy Boutique. Counterfeit products and business networking are like oil and water.

18/03/2019

Phu Quoc: A candidate for overtourism?

DESTINATIONVietnamPhu Quoc: A candidate for overtourism? By Don Ross - February 13, 2019 Share on Facebook Tweet on Twitter PHU QUOC, Vietnam, 13 February 2019: When guidebooks and bloggers tell us now is the best time to visit an island destination before it loses its natural beauty and charm it’...

18/03/2019

Vietnamese National Standards on fish sauce production temporarily halted

Deputy Prime Minister of Vietnam Vu Duc Dam has entrusted the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) to take into account the opinions of organizations and associations about standards for fish sauce, requiring that the standards must not cause negative impacts on production and business of traditional fish sauce makers.

Lately, some organizations and associations have sent Prime Minister petitions against a draft of national technical standards for fish sauce, proposed and put out for consultation by MARD.

The draft standards TCVN-12607:2019 on new standards for fish sauce production practices built by the Agro Processing and Market Development Authority under the MARD. The draft, unfortunately, has raised controversial opinions among fish sauce makers as well as experts. Representatives of several traditional fish sauce makers along with fish sauce experts all said that many regulations in the draft are inappropriate with actual production of traditional fish sauce.

Accordingly, the Directorate for Standards, Metro-logy and Quality and the Ministry of Science and Technology on March 12 decided to temporarily halt the aforesaid draft standards.

Deputy minister of Science and Technology Pham Cong Tac said that the draft standards TCVN-12607:2019 for fish sauce production practices must meet three principles. Firstly, it must meet the general development level of the society. Secondly, it must ensure the consensus of the society. Lastly, it must ensure the interest of relevant parties.

Earlier, Nha Trang Fish Sauce Association sent a document to propose the drafting committee to reduce heavy metal control criteria from four to one as before and increase histamine limit from 400 milligram per liter to 800 milligram per liter to be more appropriate with actual fish sauce production.

The document also proposed the authority to halt promulgation of Vietnamese National Standards and carry out field survey in regions where traditional fish sauce is made, including Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet and Cat Hai to collect public opinions before promulgating the draft.

The association also proposed the drafting committee to build two separate sets of Vietnamese National Standards for traditional fish sauce and its industrial counterpart.

Mrs. Nguyen Thi Tinh, former president of Phu Quoc Fish Sauce Association, said that the association would hold a meeting with local fish sauce makers, scientists and experts to collect their opinions on March 12. She also expressed desire that the Government will allow drafting of two distinct sets of Vietnamese National Standards for traditional fish sauce and industrial one to provide clear distinguish-ability and create conditions for traditional fish sauce industry to develop.

According to Euro-monitor, fish sauce market value is estimated at US$4.5 billion with annual growth of about 4.7 percent from 2016 to 2021. Of which, Vietnamese fish sauce market is evaluated at around $501 million with production of more than 70,000 tons of fish sauce made in 2015. More than 300 million liters of fish sauce are consumed annually and a Vietnamese person consumes an average of four liters of fish sauce each year.

The value of a bottle of industrial fish sauce is at around $1-2 whereas that of pure traditional fish sauce with high nitrogen level is worth up to $9. At the present, there are only two places, consisting of Phu Quoc island district in the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang and Phan Thiet city in the south central province of Binh Thuan, received geographical indication by the National Office of Intellectual Property of Vietnam.

Unofficial statistics showed that traditional fish sauce accounted for 25-30 percent of market share, the remaining market share is in the hand of industrial fish sauce makers.

11/12/2018

The current state of the Movenpic Phu Quoc Resort via flycam

Fly Cam dự án Movenpick Phú Quốc liên hệ 0912746538 Đã có giỏ hàng các căn view biển và biệt thự giá vừa phải, chi tiết vui lòng liên hệ trực tiếp tới Khoa V...

11/12/2018

"So this is Christmas. And what have you done..."

Just 1 Tourist can make a difference! *Avoid* all PRINT maps and guidebooks while on Phu Quoc Island this holiday season. There is NO recycling facility on the island, all trash is burned, and guidebooks and maps are linked to child s*x trafficking and s*xapts.

Be the change you want to see in this world.

Child trafficking is the worst and hugest kind of traffic, and have been left in second plane, it has not the glamour of the drugwar. The world powers are do...

21/09/2018

With the future of the new garbage facility in limbo and numerous environmental violations on the island, expect hotel & resort properties with a large marketing budget to promote how "green they are" in order to convince you to stay with them.

Based on our historical experience and evidence, any business operating on Phu Quoc Island pushing the "sustainability narrative" should be avoided as this is

01/08/2018

Multiple investment projects on Phu Quoc Island on hold.
==
According to the Phu Quoc Economic Zone Management Board, the island had had 279 investment projects as of June 2018. Of these, 249 projects got granted investment certificates and in-principle approval, with a total area of over 9,000 hectares and registered capital of nearly VND270.5 trillion, whereas the remaining 30 projects are still in the investment registration process.

36 projects, whose combined investment capital is over VND14.75 trillion, have been put into operation, and 35 projects worth VND95.731 trillion are being implemented. The other projects are working to complete their investment procedures.

It can be seen that among those projects which have obtained investment certificates and approval on Phu Quoc Island, there remain 178 slow-moving projects. VietnamPlus quoted the management board as saying that some 60 projects have finished procedures concerning investment, land and construction, but not yet begun operations.

A reason for the lack of progress is that some projects in the Long Beach area have not finished adjusting their property borders. Those projects have had land sites assigned or leased, but failed to begin construction, as a result of land encroachment and relocation activities.

Other reasons are that many investors are seeking adjustments according to new business plans, poor transport infrastructure, limited financial capabilities of investors and frequent project purchases via capital and stake transfers.

In addition, 34 projects have completed their investment procedures or signed contracts to prepare compensation plans, but have not been approved. This is attributed to the fact that there have been no resettlement areas approved and the deliveries of compensation fees are late.

Also, almost 150 projects are behind schedule in conducting investment procedures for a number of reasons, such as a lack of determination by the investors, prolonged evaluation and approval of detailed plans and environmental impact assessments, as well as stake transfers.

Chairman of Kien Giang Province Pham Vu Hong has told the management board and the island district of Phu Quoc to coordinate with relevant authorities to review investment plans, develop transport infrastructure, and work on waste, wastewater treatment and environmental protection. Further, he urged support for assisting investments and construction of resettlement areas.

Following these instructions, the management board has worked with local authorities to support and speed up site clearance to provide land for investors, as well as to review and handle any violations that slow the progress of investments, map out resettlement plans and consider compensation plans. Projects that fail to ensure continued progress in carrying out plans will be recalled.

To act quickly, the management board has proposed that the government of Kien Giang Province recall a dozen slow-moving projects on this island, as well as review projects which have received in-principle investment approval since 2007, but have not yet been carried out.