Published:  02:19 Monday - June 11, 2012

The Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang will develop its Phu Quoc island into an eco-tourism centre, under the province’s tourism development strategy for the 2011-2020 period.

Phu Quoc, Vietnam's largest island with a total area of 574 sq.km, is one of the country's most popular tourist destinations. It is dubbed as a “tourism paradise” in the south-western region.

Under the development plan, the island is set to welcome 1-1.2 million visitors each year by 2015, earning US$209 million. Of the number, foreign arrivals make up 35 percent.

By 2020, the island is expected to gross US$771 million from receiving 2-3 million tourists annually with 40 percent being foreign visitors.

With exploring, ecological and cultural tourism, the island targets to become a more attractive tourism destination to holiday-makers.

Apart from the domestic market, Kien Giang will turn Phu Quoc into a popular destination for travellers from foreign markets such as Northeast Asia, North America, West Europe and ASEAN.

VNA