Phu Yen, the land of “yellow flowers on green grass” renowned for its pristine and majestic beauty, is now at a turning point as the province officially launches its Tourism Development Scheme for the 2025-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050. With ambitious goals and a clear roadmap, the plan not only affirms the province’s aspiration to make tourism a spearhead economic sector but also lays a solid foundation for sustainable development - harmoniously integrated with nature and local communities.

Mui Dien - the first place to see the sun on the mainland of Vietnam – being a favorite destination for young travelers and international tourists alike

In the context of the implementation of the National Tourism System Planning for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2045, and the Phu Yen Provincial Master Plan for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision to 2050, the development of a new tourism development proposal is both timely and essential.

This scheme is not only suitable for upper-level plans but also to clearly define key orientations, tasks, solutions and support policies, in order to effectively exploit tourism potential, turning tourism into a spearhead economic sector.

The dual goal is to form and develop a variety of tourism products to attract tourists, extend the length of stay and increase spending, and at the same time associate with protecting environmental resources, preserving and promoting traditional cultural values, contributing to promoting socio-eco development, implementing national target programs on new rural construction and sustainable poverty reduction.

PPC Vice Chairman Dao My, Deputy Head of Phu Yen Provincial Tourism Development Steering Committee said: The Phu Yen tourism development project is built on core perspectives, ensuring uniformity and sustainability: In accordance with the national strategy and provincial planning, sticking to the Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2030, Vietnam Tourism System Planning to 2030, vision to 2045, Vietnam Tourism Product Development Strategy to 2025, orientation to 2030, and Phu Yen Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, vision to 2050.

The development plan focuses on leveraging Phu Yen’s unique tourism advantages - especially its favorable geographical location - to create distinctive, high-quality tourism products with strong branding and superior competitiveness both domestically and internationally. It aligns with emerging trends in domestic and global tourism, emphasizing innovation, digital transformation, and the application of advanced technologies. The plan promotes strong integration of scientific and technological achievements while highlighting the central role of human resources. It also aims to simultaneously develop both domestic and international tourism markets. Developing tourism in the direction of professionalism, quality, brandedness and high competitiveness, applying advanced models for tourism development.

Develop green tourism in harmony with the preservation and enhancement of natural landscapes and cultural heritage, while ensuring social equity and fairness. The approach centers on community participation, empowering local people to actively engage in tourism development and benefit directly from it. This not only helps improve livelihoods and raise living standards but also contributes significantly to the implementation of the National Target Program on New Rural Development.

According to Mr. Dang Hong Linh, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the overall goal of the plan is to develop Phu Yen into a major tourism and service hub in the region and across the country. The province aims to make its tourism sector a key highlight in the tourism linkage between the Central Highlands and South Central Coast provinces. By 2030, Phu Yen strives to establish tourism as a spearhead economic sector, significantly contributing to the provincial economy as a “clean” industry with a distinct identity unique to Phu Yen and the surrounding region.

Associate Professor Dr. Pham Trung Luong, Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research (under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), stated that while Phu Yen's tourism sector has made certain strides, it still lags behind its true potential and strengths. It is very encouraging that the province has developed and approved the Tourism Development Plan for the 2025-2030 period, with a vision toward 2050. This serves as a fundamental prerequisite and an important framework for guiding tourism investment and development in the coming years.

In order to realize the above objectives, the project clearly defines the axes and spaces for tourism development, ensuring connectivity, inclusiveness and sustainability. The two main spatial axes for tourism development include: the North-South axis attached to the North-South railway line, National Road 1, North-South expressway, and coastal roads. This axis connects Phu Yen with the Central Coastal provinces and the entire country, focusing on leveraging natural coastal and island landscapes (Cu Mong Lagoon, Xuan Dai Bay, O Loan Lagoon, Vung Ro Bay), beautiful beaches (Bang Beach, Bau Beach, Tram Beach, Xep Beach, Mon Beach), reefs (Da Dia Reef, Đo Reef), small islands along the coast (Nhat Tu Mountain, Mai Nha Islet, Yến Island), and religious architectural works and cultural-historical relics (Nhan Tower, Mang Lang Church, Mui Dien Lighthouse).

The East-West axis connects Phu Yen with the Central Highlands and Central provinces through national highways 14, 19, 24, 25... This axis prioritizes the development of tourism associated with the culture of ethnic groups, exploiting the potential of mountainous tourism, rural agricultural tourism, and community tourism.

Highlights include large reservoirs, waterfalls, springs, hot spring water sources, and historical and cultural sites. In particular, building Vân Hoa plateau into a tourist city, resort center of Phu Yen and the South Central Coast, developing cultural and tourist villages of ethnic minorities.

In terms of space for tourism development, based on the distribution of resources and resources, Phu Yen is divided into 4 tourism spaces with different development properties, including: Central tourism space (Tuy Hoa city and surrounding areas), this is the driving force for tourism development of Phu Yen, focusing on important traffic hubs (Tuy Hoa airport, railway station, National Road 1).  Northern Coastal Resort Tourism Zone (Song Cau Town and Tuy An District) is the main area for coastal and island resort tourism, characterized by numerous bays, lagoons, and beautiful sandy beaches, including Cu Mong Lagoon, Xuan Dai Bay, O Loan Lagoon, Da Dia Reef, Yen Island, and Chua Island.

This area prioritizes the development of high-class beach resorts at isolated beaches such as Tram Beach, Tu Nham Beach, and Vung Lam Beach. Extreme sports activities such as scuba diving, mountaineering, and food tourism. Southwest mountainous tourism space (Song Hinh district and surrounding areas), outstanding with pristine natural landscapes, majestic mountains, many ethnic minorities living and revolutionary historical relics.

Northwest mountainous tourist space (Dong Xuan, Son Hoa and Tuy An districts), characterized by Van Hoa plateau, where the climate is cool. In particular, President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Shrine - a national historical relic, is a spiritual destination and learns history.