Hanoi (VNA) – A conference often concludes the moment delegates walk out of the auditorium. Yet in southern Phu Quoc, the agenda seamlessly transitions into seaside gala dinners, mesmerising overwater multimedia performances, and brilliant fireworks displays. These mega-shows are crafting a unique competitive edge for the Pearl Island in the global race to attract premium MICE tourism.
Recently highlighting why Phu Quoc is capturing international attention as an emerging MICE powerhouse in Asia, Travel + Leisure remarked that Sunset Town in the southern island functions virtually as an open-air event mega-venue. The publication envisioned an idyllic itinerary where a productive morning session flows into island adventures, beachfront galas, and world-class evening spectacles.
This perspective addresses a paramount question for MICE organisers: after meeting halls, accommodations, and logistics are secured, what makes a destination truly unforgettable for hundreds or thousands of delegates? For Phu Quoc, the answer is coming to life on its grand overwater stages. These productions do not simply fill post-meeting downtime; they serve as the grand crescendo for incentive trips, partner summits, and corporate galas.
At Sunset Town, Kiss of the Sea transports audiences to an extraordinary open-air theatre on the sea, seamlessly blending live performance with cutting-edge water, light, music, and fireworks effects.
Certified by Guinness World Records as the world's largest outdoor theatre featuring a water screen and having the largest capacity – seating 5,108 spectators – its grand scale is tailor-made for mega MICE groups: thousands of guests can gather under the stars, sharing a singular, awe-inspiring climax to cap off an intense conference day or awards celebration.
![symphony-of-the-sea.jpg](https://mediaen.vietnamplus.vn/images/9FJFS71vxeOb4ggSkiGi9P1KhG22tOF1K9CXr1lCR63SRWd139Igxt-_uOl9QRlE/symphony-of-the-sea.jpg.avif "The continuously reinvented "Symphony of the Sea" show creates a magnetic allure for Sunset Town. (Photo: Sun Group)")
Also in southern Phu Quoc, Symphony of the Sea offers a distinct flavour of excitement, combining high-octane Jetski and Flyboard stunts with evocative music and dynamic overwater pyrotechnics near the iconic Kiss Bridge. One of the most sought-after vantage points to take in the show is Sun Bavaria GastroPub: right from their dining tables, guests enjoy uninterrupted panoramic views of the ocean stage. Honoured by Guinness World Records as the world’s largest coastal beer restaurant, spanning 6,825.22 square metres with a capacity of 5,000 guests, this venue marries expansive dining spaces with showfront views – an unrivaled setting for gala dinners, incentive banquets, and corporate celebrations.
This allure is set for a major elevation in November 2026 with the debut of Symphony of the Sea Season 3. The upcoming season plans to triple the pyrotechnics, featuring custom displays designed in collaboration with the champions of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2025 and 2026 from China and Portugal. In tandem, Sun Bavaria GastroPub will upgrade its hospitality spaces and expand its buffet repertoire to nearly 100 delicacies. For MICE delegations returning to Phu Quoc, this guarantees that even a familiar gala evening feels fresh, exhilarating, and re-energised season after season.
Continual innovation of the shows is precisely what Travel + Leisure highlighted regarding Sunset Town's enduring appeal: entertainment products are treated as living, evolving experiences with sustained reinvestment rather than static performances. In the MICE sector, this is vital. Many corporations plan their conferences, incentive programs, and partner summits on annual cycles; to win repeat business, a destination must consistently deliver renewed excitement.
Looking ahead to APEC Economic Leaders' Week 2027 and beyond, Southern Phu Quoc is accelerating large-scale infrastructure developments primed for world-class international shows and summits.
Chief among these is the APEC Convention and Exhibition Centre project, boasting a column-free grand ballroom spanning up to 11,050 square meters capable of hosting 10,000 guests, supplemented by a 2,000-seat dinner-and-show venue and an international media center accommodating 3,000 to 4,000 journalists.
Adjacent lies the 4,030-seat APEC Multipurpose Theater surpassing the roughly 3,400-seat capacity of the famed Dolby Theatre in Hollywood – featuring a dedicated 30-metre-wide stage custom-engineered for mega-concerts, international film festivals, and flagship corporate events. The synergy between the convention centre, grand theatres, Sunset Town's night experiences, and Hon Thom’s entertainment complex creates an expansive, integrated leisure ecosystem throughout southern Phu Quoc.
Yet, spectacular shows only achieve their full potential when embedded within a smooth, seamless itinerary. In southern Phu Quoc, high-end resorts, meeting venues, banquet facilities, and leisure hubs are clustered within close proximity. A delegation can hold morning plenary sessions at Sun Signature Gallery or Sun Tropical Ballroom, spend an energising afternoon at Hon Thom, and return to Sunset Town for vibrant evening performances. Premier accommodation options – including JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, New World Phu Quoc Resort, and La Festa Phu Quoc, Curio Collection by Hilton – allow event planners to tailor experiences flawlessly to any group scale and tone.
Phu Quoc’s defining strength lies in its ability to intertwine corporate event objectives with immersive destination experiences. A coastal awards gala, team-bonding adventures on Hon Thom, or a gourmet banquet punctuated by vibrant fireworks become stories delegates enthusiastically share long after returning home – an emotional resonance difficult to forge when meetings, galas, and entertainment operate as disjointed, standalone components.
This strategic development directly aligns with Vietnam's Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on cultural industry development and Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW on positioning tourism as a spearhead economic sector. When performing arts are curated into recurring, world-class products integrated with accommodation, gastronomy, and event hosting, their value transcends single ticket sales. They become a decisive reason for planners to choose the destination, extend group stays, and eagerly return.
APEC 2027 will place Phu Quoc firmly in the spotlight of top-tier global event organisers and business delegations. Anchored by state-of-the-art conference infrastructure and breathtaking seaside stages, the Pearl Island holds a singular, compelling advantage: transforming any business summit into an extraordinary, one-of-a-kind journey that could only happen in Phu Quoc./.
