Facing an oversupply of hotel and resort rooms, Phu Quoc Island, an emerging tourist destination of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang, is finding ways to attract more tourists.

Tourist boats are seen at a stunning beach of Phu Quoc Island 

At a conference on how to lure more tourists to Phu Quoc jointly organized by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and Kien Giang Province on October 25, experts said the island struggled with a shortage of hotel and resort guest rooms in the past.

However, the mushrooming of hotels and resorts has led to an oversupply of rooms this year. Phu Quoc currently has 485 lodging facilities with more than 13,800 guest rooms. Among them are 95 one-star, 45 two-star, four three-star, six four-star and five five-star hotels.

A large number of luxury hotels and resorts are under construction and may be put into service soon on the island.

Tourist arrivals to the island in the first nine months of this year totaled 2.26 million, up 8.8% year-on-year, of then 243,000 foreigners.

Speaking to the Daily, the head of the Travel Department under VNAT, Nguyen Quy Phuong, said average occupancy at hotels on Phu Quoc is about 50%.

According to VNAT, the oversupply of guest rooms on Phu Quoc has resulted from poor forecasts of tourist demand. Other problems include a lack of direct flights to the island and marketing campaigns, weak cooperation between travel agents and poor services.

VNAT suggested Phu Quoc focus on luring more international tourists. At present, foreign tourists can travel to the island by air or sea, and enjoy a 30-day visa-free stay.

Authorities should assist airlines in opening more chartered and scheduled flights to Phu Quoc, and offer an airport tax exemption. Some foreign travel firms having plans to operate tours to Phu Quoc have asked authorities for more support.

European tour operator Alpitour has plans to take 4,000 Italian tourists to the island in late 2017 and early 2018 on flights operated by Neos, an airline owned by Alpitour.

Alpitour has worked with luxury hotels on Phu Quoc to provide full-package services for the tourists. The group has also asked Phu Quoc for an airport tax reduction and permission to take its own tour guides and interpreters to the island.

UK-based travel operator TUI-UK said its first group of tourists will arrive in Phu Quoc on November 1. It is seeking permission to organize a welcoming ceremony with the presence of representatives of VNAT and Kien Giang government.

SGT