Authorities on Phu Quoc, a popular tourist island off Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam, have said they will adopt various solutions to deal with exorbitant prices that have kept tourists away from the city.

Tourism in the island city has enjoyed robust growth over the past few years, but tourism service prices there were said to be off the charts lately, compared to other coastal destinations in the country.

During the recent five-day public holiday which lasted from April 29 to May 3, the island saw its tourist arrivals declining 11.5 percent year on year, at an estimated 113,000, according to Bui Quoc Thai, director of the provincial tourism department.

Thai attributed the decline to pre-holiday soaring airfares for domestic flights to Phu Quoc, as well as a probable increase in COVID-19 cases in some localities that prompted locals to avoid traveling during the holiday.

Also, complaints about overpriced tourism services on Phu Quoc began circulating on social media in recent weeks, prompting the provincial tourism authority to dispatch forces to some tourism businesses to check on the issue, Thai added.

Commenting on the issue, Huynh Quang Hung, chairman of the People’s Committee of Phu Quoc City, said that local authorities are willing to listen to feedback from tourists to make proper changes to bolster the local tourism growth.

The Phu Quoc administration will ask relevant agencies to inspect the price listing at local tourism service businesses, Hung said.

The city will also report the issue to the upper authority and work with carriers that operate flights to Phu Quoc to revise the airfares appropriately, in a bid to woo more visitors to the island this summer.

Meanwhile, Truong Cong Tam, chairman of the Phu Quoc City Professional Tour Guide Association, said that there have been several tourism service providers adopting unfair practices to make a quick profit by overpricing, which affects the overall picture of the tourism in the locality.

Tam suggested that local authorities regularly review and supervise tourist services such as dining and transportation on Phu Quoc so that the island could leave tourists with a good impression and attract more visitors.

The authorities also need to inspect and work with tourism businesses that offer overpriced services.

Violators should be handled strictly to protect the interest of tourists and promote the development of sustainable tourism, Tam added.

One of the tourism service providers in Duong Dong Ward, Phu Quoc City, Tran Van Phuoc, a restaurateur|, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that most of the foods on the island such as vegetables and seafood were imported from other localities so they fetched high prices.

Besides, restaurants and eateries have to cover costs for renting retail spaces, hiring employees, goods transport and storage services, as well as fulfilling tax obligations. 

Therefore, they have to take measures to keep their business profitable while still retaining tourists.

Phuoc said his restaurant, called Thuan Phat, offers a detailed price list.

The restaurant quotes the prices of large-sized blood clams, snails, and abalones at VND250,000-650,000 (US$11-28) per kilogram.

Other seafood types such as mantis shrimps, raw squids, and lobsters sell for VND1.1 million ($47), VND950,000 ($41), VND2.5 million ($107) per kilogram, respectively.

“I feel sad seeing complaints circulating lately on social media against overpriced food at Phu Quoc eateries," Phuoc continued.

“Most diners here offer detailed price lists.

“I haven’t received any feedback from my customers about pricing problems.”

Meanwhile, some locals said there was a big gap in terms of prices among eateries on Phu Quoc, even though they offer price lists.

Another seafood eatery owner in Duong Dong attributed the high prices of food and services to restaurant operators having to give commissions worth up to 20 percent, instead of around 10-15 percent as before, to taxi and service car drivers who take visitors to their venues.

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