Phu Quoc accelerates APEC 2027 infrastructure build-out
DNO - Phu Quoc in the southern province of An Giang, Vietnam is accelerating a series of major infrastructure projects ahead of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week in 2027, with key facilities gradually taking shape across this famous island.
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The projects include an expanded international airport, a VIP terminal, a light rail link, a new APEC boulevard, a large convention and exhibition centre, a multipurpose performance venue and an airline catering facility.
The expansion of Phu Quoc International Airport covers about 1,050 hectares. Its first phase is designed to handle 20 - 24 million passengers a year by 2030, placing the airport among Viet Nam’s largest in terms of planned capacity.
As part of the airport expansion, a 9,890-square-metre VIP terminal is being built on a 5.3-hectare site.
Its design draws inspiration from the sea eagle and is intended to receive high-level delegations of up to 300 people. A 17.59-kilometre light rail line is also under construction, connecting Phu Quoc International Airport with the APEC Convention Centre in the island’s southern area.
The line will have six stations, with their designs drawing on cultural features from Viet Nam’s three regions. The 3-kilometre APEC Boulevard is being developed as a central link within the complex. The road will have four to six lanes, with 8-metre-wide sidewalks on both sides.
Construction is moving ahead on drainage systems, sidewalks and ground treatment, with the boulevard targeted for completion in the second quarter of 2027.
At the heart of the development is the APEC Convention and Exhibition Centre, covering 153,130 square metres of total floor area. The 39.25-metre-high complex will include three above-ground floors, a basement and a technical penthouse.
Its main ballroom will cover 11,050 square metres and feature an 81-metre column-free span. The centre’s roof is designed to resemble layers of ocean waves, linking the architecture to the Phu Quoc’s coastal setting.
Next to the convention centre, a multipurpose performance venue is taking shape. The 54,680-square-metre building will have six above-ground floors, one basement and an auditorium with 4,030 seats.
At the construction site, about 3,000 tonnes of roof trusses and supporting structures for the circular theatre building have been installed.
More than 30 of its 50 columns have also been completed. Supporting the island’s growing aviation infrastructure, Phu Quoc Airline Catering Plant is being developed with a total investment of VND2.4 trillion.
Its first phase is scheduled for completion in 2026, with capacity for 25,000 meals a day. A second phase, planned with a longer-term horizon to 2050, would raise capacity to 50,000 meals daily. Underground and main structural works are being completed at the plant.
Imported dishwashing and kitchen equipment from Germany, Italy and Switzerland is scheduled to arrive for installation in September 2026. Trial operations are planned for November, with completion targeted for December.
Together, these above-mentioned projects are reshaping Phu Quoc’s infrastructure landscape as the island prepares to host one of the region’s major diplomatic and economic events in 2027.