Phu Quoc looks to the future

The Prime Minister recently approved the amended project on development of Phu Quoc Island in Kien Giang Province by 2030.
Development preserves natural environment
According to Ngo Quang Hung, the director of the Institute for Southern Urban and Rural Planning and the project manager, the project is targeting to assure the island's sustainable development by protecting the island's marine and forestry biodiversity. Although the island is striving to become an international tourism center and regional financial center, land used for urban and tourism zones just accounts for 15.19 percent of the island's 58.923ha and 64.64 percent of the island's total area is covered with forest.
Hung said that the areas for landscaping, farming and other special construction works will occupy 5.77 percent, 9.13 percent and 5.75 percent respectively. Such allocations are aimed at guaranteeing Phu Quoc Island's sustainable development, preventing deforestation and beach encroachment for resort construction. Forests, fishing villages and pepper farms will be preserved and developed. Local people will take part in the island's development to protect their life and untouched beaches will be protected. The population on the island will be controlled to assure the island's sustainable development. From now until 2020, the population will be 340,000-380,000 among which 200,000-230,000 will live in urban zones and 500,000-550,000 by 2030, 320,000-370,000 of which are urban residents.
Multi-center model
Hung said that the island will develop toward a multi-center model. This model guarantees economic development along with the environmental protection. Development will be divided into sections along the main transport routes to minimize damage to the environment. The main transport route circles the island, connecting An Thoi International Seaport with Duong To Airport. Dong Duong Town will become the island's urban center in which a hub for administration, public services, trade, finance, culture and tourism will be constructed. The Cua Can urban zone will be developed into a center for scientific studies, training and education with a seaport, while a trade and service center will be constructed in the An Thoi urban zone. The west of the island will become an ecotourism zone with traditional craft villages and the east will focus on agricultural development. The north of the island with the main area covered with forests will concentrate on eco-tourism zones, traditional craft villages and high-tech agriculture. In the south, tourism zones, a seaport, urban zones, an international airport, protective forests, parks and the historic site of Phu Quoc Prison will be developed.
According to Hung, this is a detailed project which offers concrete development trends with different areas. In detail, in the Duong Dong urban zone, trade and office axis will be the center of the town. The axis begins with an administrative and politic center and ASEAN Square and ends at the Marian Seaport. The Cua Can urban zone is designed to be a gateway of main transport routes. An Thoi urban zone will see a harmonious development of old and new residential areas which will offer tourists open spaces.
Phu Quoc Island promises to be an international tourism and financial center with Vietnamese traditional characteristics which differentiates it from tourism zones in Thailand or financial centers in Hong Kong (China).