Phu Quoc poised to become wedding destination of global billionaires

From Jan. 19-23, Phu Quoc was chosen as the venue for the super wedding of a wealthy Indian couple.

Although numbers were not specifically disclosed, a source told VnExpress said the amount of money they spent was “really huge” as the families rented an entire 5-star resort in the most expensive area of Phu Quoc Island, as well as the “Kiss of The Sea” floating stage located in waters just off the shore on the southern side of the island.

The resort’s room rates are up to VND160 million (US$6,538) per night, while the stage is capable of accommodating 5,000 seats, and the daily admission price is VND1 million per person.

Huynh Quang Hung, chairman of Phu Quoc City People’s Committee, said that weddings of the super-rich and influential international figures will create positive media effects on the island’s tourism image.

In the past year, the city also organized promotional programs in India to lure billionaires into holding their weddings there.

“In addition to India, we also aim to become a super wedding venue for billionaires from other countries,” Hung said.

He also revealed that Phu Quoc will soon host the super wedding of a billionaire from the United Arab Emirates after Lunar New Year holiday later this month.

Phu Quoc is attractive to the wealthy and powerful due to its beautiful beaches, and the island resort destination boasts more than 30,000 hotel rooms, including 17,000 rooms at 5-star accommodation facilities.

In Phu Quoc, billionaires can find unique tourism sites, such as Kiss Bridge, which recently gained international attention.

In addition, in the Mediterranean Town area, fireworks displays last 7-10 minutes every night, while the southern tip of the island is home to big names in the global hospitality industry, which boast accommodation facilities of the highest class.

John Paul Woolley, manager of JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay Resort & Spa, said that in the past three months, the resort successfully hosted three “super weddings” for Indian couples.

He said the facility has an experienced planning team that has honed their skills creating lavish, bespoke experiences for Indian customers.

One of the important factors for a successful Indian “super wedding” is cuisine. Indian guests love food and have diverse dietary requirements, requiring chefs to build a special and rich menu.

The complex’s rare location in the Khem Beach area also brings visitors the romantic atmosphere of clear blue sea water and white sand beaches, Woolley said.

“Phu Quoc is emerging as an attractive beach tourism destination, completely different from other international destinations such as Bali, Phuket, and domestic cities such as Da Nang and Nha Trang,” he said.

Woolley said the Indian wedding tourism market will grow strongly in 2024.

Hoang Anh, who participated in organizing two super weddings for Indian billionaires, said after choosing Phu Quoc as the venue to organize a super wedding, the bride and groom’s families often cover the cost of the entire resort, including meals, and additional services for all members of the party and their guests.

And what’s more, guests often choose to travel and explore the island after the wedding ends.

“They really like Phu Quoc’s specialties and often buy them as gifts,” Hoang Anh said.

However, he said Phu Quoc still has much to do to become a top wedding destination for the super-rich.

Billionaire couples often request modern equipment and classic cars for their wedding, but Phu Quoc has very few providers of such services.

Classic cars serving bridal processions are often brought in from Ho Chi Minh City, causing costs to increase. The increased amount of money sometimes make wedding organizers unhappy because Phu Quoc does not have enough professional services, Anh said.

Vu Tien Van, chairman of the Board of Directors of Adavigo, a tourism unit specializing in the Phu Quoc market, also said that the billionaire wedding market is rich in potential but has not yet been realistically explored in Vietnam.

Currently, Phu Quoc and other cities have only just laid the first bricks of this industry and there are still many difficulties ahead, Van said.

Indian billionaire weddings could spark a travel fever for other Indian tourists. And this is the potential customer group that the Vietnamese tourism industry should target to avoid dependence on the Chinese market, he added.