Phu Quoc, Vietnam’s largest island, welcomed its first international flight carrying 290 Russian passengers on February 14. A direct flight from Russia to Phu Quoc will be launched once a week.

A gala dinner was organized by the Phu Quoc District's People's Committee and Phu Quoc International Airport to celebrate the success of the first flight and to welcome Russian passengers.

Phu Quoc currently receives 600,000 tourists on an annual basis. The new airport, which was officially opened in 2012, is capable of handling 2.6 million visitors and is expected to serve the development of the island for the next 15 or 20 years, according to Dao Viet Dung, director of Phu Quoc airport.

A US$4 billion resort, including a casino, will also be built on an area of 135 hectares in Phu Quoc. There will be around 200-400 gambling tables, 2,000 gaming machines, a conference center, and a 5-star hotel with 3,000 rooms.

In early 2014, a 110kV submarine power cable system, Ha Tien – Phu Quoc, was also officially launched, connecting the island to the national electricity grid for the first time.

Previously, in some communes like Ganh Dau, power costs VND25,000 per kWh, 16 times more than what people on the mainland pay. Since the new cable system became operational, local residents on Phu Quoc are able to save money as the new price, VND1,500 per kWh, is equal to what consumers on land pay.

The lower power price is much more meaningful for the hotel owners on the island as it attracts more tourists. Phung Xuan Mai, general director of the four-star Saigon – Phu Quoc resort in Duong Dong town, happily said that room rates will certainly decrease thanks to the lowered power prices.

According to the original plan, the Ha Tien – Phu Quoc cable project will be fully operational in the third quarter of 2014, but Prysmian Powerlink SRL contractor has completed the work six months earlier than planned.