The convention centre: what is known
A convention and exhibition complex is under construction on Phu Quoc for the November 2027 APEC summit. This page sets out what is publicly known about it, what is not yet known, and what that means if you are planning a programme.
What is publicly known
| Element | Publicly stated position |
|---|---|
| Main convention hall | Capacity in the region of 6,500 |
| Multipurpose theatre | Around 4,000 seats, part of the same complex |
| Site area | More than 16 hectares |
| Investment | Very substantial, publicly reported in the tens of trillions of dong |
| Exterior completion target | Late 2026 |
| Interior completion target | Early 2027 |
| Purpose | APEC Leaders' Meeting, November 2027 |
| Commercial operation | Not stated; realistically 2028 |
The detailed room schedule — how many breakout rooms, what sizes, what the exhibition hall configuration is. Rate structure. Whether it will be operated by the developer or a specialist venue operator. Booking process and lead times. Until those are published, any operator telling you they can book you into this venue is describing something that does not yet exist commercially.
What it will make possible
Today, Phu Quoc's ceiling for a single-space conference is resort ballroom capacity, roughly a thousand banquet guests at the largest properties. The complex changes that by an order of magnitude and adds a category the island does not currently have at all: purpose-built exhibition space.
- Large conferences of 1,000 to 6,000 delegates, currently impossible here
- Association congresses with concurrent exhibition, currently impossible
- Trade exhibitions, currently impossible
- Large-scale corporate events: national sales conferences, dealer congresses at a scale the resorts cannot hold
- Concerts and productions in the theatre, which also gives the island an entertainment venue it lacks
For programmes in the 20 to 200 range
Directly, very little changes. A group of 150 does not need a 6,500-seat hall and would find it an awkward space to occupy. Resort function space will remain the right choice for the sizes we handle.
Indirectly, the effects are real: a destination with a major convention facility attracts more air capacity, more hotel investment and more supplier depth, and all three benefit programmes of any size.
When a major venue opens, some resorts reposition and some rebalance their function space towards other uses. We would expect a period of adjustment in 2028 and we will advise on it as it becomes clear rather than speculating now.
How we will handle it
- We will not quote programmes into this venue until it is demonstrably in commercial operation with a published rate structure.
- We will not describe capacity we have not verified on site.
- When it opens, we will inspect it and publish a measured assessment, including what it does badly, which every venue does.
- Until then, this page will be updated as verifiable information is published, with the date of last verification stated.
Last verified: September 2026. For what the island can host today, see conference venues.
Need convention-centre capacity?
Tell us the size and the year. If the island cannot do it yet, we will say so rather than quote around it.
Questions travellers ask most
Can we book the convention centre now?
No. It is under construction for the summit and there is no commercial booking process. Anyone offering to book it for you before 2028 is describing something that does not exist yet.
Will it be available for corporate events after APEC?
That is the clear intention, since the investment only makes sense with a commercial life afterwards. The timing and the terms have not been published.
Is it near the main resort areas?
It is on the island, on a large site. We will publish transfer times from the main resort strips once we can verify them by driving them, rather than estimating from a map.
Will resort function space become cheaper once it opens?
Possibly for large-format demand that migrates to the new venue, but resorts price primarily against their room block. We would not plan a budget around that assumption.
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