After the summit: a different island
From 2028, Phu Quoc will have convention capacity it does not have today, an expanded airport, and a reputation established by hosting a leaders' summit. For planners working on a two or three year horizon, that changes the calculation.
What will be available that is not available now
| Capability | Today | From 2028 |
|---|---|---|
| Largest single conference space | Resort ballrooms, up to about 1,000 banquet | Convention hall around 6,500 seats |
| Theatre-style venue | None purpose-built | Around 4,000 seats |
| Exhibition space | Very limited | Purpose-built exhibition capability |
| Parallel breakout capacity | Two to four rooms at larger resorts | Substantially more |
| Airport capacity | Expanding | Second terminal and second runway in operation |
| Ground transport | Road only | Road plus light rail on the main corridor |
Programmes that currently cannot happen on Phu Quoc at all — conferences of 500 to 3,000 delegates, exhibitions, association congresses — become possible. For the 20 to 200 range we handle today, the change is less about capacity and more about the quality of the surrounding infrastructure.
What we expect to happen to pricing
Our working expectation, stated as an expectation rather than a fact: rates firm through 2027, step up after the summit as the destination's profile rises, and then stabilise as new supply comes online.
The pattern is familiar from other summit host destinations. Demand rises immediately on visibility; supply catches up over two to three years; pricing settles above the pre-event level but below the immediate post-event spike.
- 2026: pre-summit pricing, the current window
- 2027: firming, with the summit period effectively closed
- 2028: higher, with new convention capacity commanding a premium while it is novel
- 2029 onward: settling, with more supply and more competition
Planning implications by programme type
Little changes
You do not need convention capacity. The main effect is better access and higher rates. If your programme recurs, establishing it now at current rates is sensible.
Modest improvement
More venue options and better breakout capacity. Worth waiting only if your agenda is currently constrained by breakout rooms.
Becomes possible
This is the group for whom the change is transformative. Today Phu Quoc cannot host you; from 2028 it can.
Becomes possible
Purpose-built exhibition capability does not exist on the island today. This is genuinely new.
What we would advise
- If your group is under 200 and recurs annually: book now, establish the relationship and the destination, and lock a rate structure before the market repositions.
- If you need 500-plus capacity: plan for 2028 at the earliest, and expect the facility to be in commissioning through much of that year.
- If you are choosing between Phu Quoc and elsewhere for 2028: wait for confirmation that the convention centre is genuinely in commercial operation before committing. New venues slip, and a programme built around one that is not ready is a serious problem.
In all cases, avoid November 2027 and treat the surrounding months with caution.
Planning two or three years out?
Tell us the capacity you need and the year. We will say whether the island can do it then, or not.
Questions travellers ask most
When will the convention centre take commercial bookings?
Realistically 2028, after the summit, handover and commissioning. We would not advise contracting a programme against it before it is demonstrably operational.
Will Phu Quoc become too expensive?
More expensive, certainly. Whether that makes it poor value depends on what you get for it: a destination with better access, better facilities and an established profile is not the same product at a higher price.
Should we wait to book until after the summit?
For programmes under 200 delegates, no. You would be paying more for capacity you do not use. For large conferences and exhibitions, waiting is not a choice, because the capacity does not exist yet.
Will resort capacity increase as well?
New properties are under development, though hotel supply typically lags infrastructure by several years. We would expect meaningful new resort capacity from 2029 rather than 2028.
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Tell us about your group
Dates, party size and the places you care about are enough to start. You get a draft route and an indicative price, not a brochure.