US band Maroon 5 concert sends Phu Quoc hotel occupancy rates soaring

Data from travel platform Mustgo, which partners with 2,000 hotels across the country, showed occupancy rates at hotels near the venue of the band’s concerts on Dec. 15 and 16 increased by 20-30% from the previous week.

At Wyndham Grand Phu Quoc with 1,399 rooms, it reached 40% while at the 921-room Wyndham Garden Grandworld Phu Quoc it was 50%.

Radisson Blu Resort Phu Quoc with 514 rooms is booked to 60% of capacity.

Three luxury resorts at the Vinpearl Phu Quoc entertainment complex said the rates are nearly 90%.

People with tickets for the concerts get a 25% discount at hotels such as Vinpearl Phu Quoc, Wyndham Grand, Radisson Blu, and Wyndham Garden between Dec. 14 and 19.

Lan Anh, head of sales for a major hotel in the island, said the concert tickets are not cheap and so hotels do not want to put more financial pressure on fans.

The tickets cost VND1-10 million (US$41-$407).

Airfares from Hanoi and HCMC to Phu Quoc have doubled for the period from Dec. 15 to 17.

Return tickets from Hanoi to Phu Quoc on those days cost VND5.8 million.

They cost VND3.6 million from HCMC.

Band members arrived in Phu Quoc in a private jet on Thursday night.

Maroon 5 was formed in 1994 when original members Adam Levine, Jesse Carmichael, Mickey Madden, and Ryan Dusick were in high school. Madden and Dusick were later replaced by James Valentine, Matt Flynn, PJ Morton, and Sam Farrar.

It has won three Grammy awards in the U.S. and sold more than 135 million records, among the highest anywhere in the world.