Phu Quoc island district of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang welcomed nearly 370,000 tourists in the first ten months of this year, fulfilling nearly 97 percent of its yearly target.

The figure represents a year-on-year increase of 34 percent with over 72,500 foreigners. During the January-October period, the locality earned more than 1 trillion VND (47 million USD) from tourism, surpassing the set target of 4.2 percent and up 33 percent against the same period last year.

Visitors to Phu Quoc are expected to come in droves on the occasions of Christmas and New Year holidays.

With 109 accommodation facilities, the island offers an array of entertainment activities such as fishing, scuba diving, visiting pearl farms and swimming in the sea.

Apart from promoting its image, the district has sought ways to attract more investment in the tourism sector, especially foreign investors.

According to a master plan on Kien Giang socio-economic development by 2020, Phu Quoc island will become a special administrative-economic zone by the end of this decade with its role as a national and international hi-end ecotourism and entertainment centre and a regional financial hub.

It will also act as a national and regional forest and sea biodiversity conservation centre that holds a special position in security and national defence.

The island posts an annual economic growth rate of over 24.5 percent, a 5.2-fold increase from 2004 when the Prime Minister approved its overall development plan. Its per capita income in 2013 is estimated to reach 70.3 million VND (3,500 USD).

Phu Quoc has so far attracted 206 investment projects valued at over 4 trillion VND (190.5 million USD). Of the total, 13 projects have already been put into operation.-VNA