The exchange took place during General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee and President To Lam’s working trip to the United States.

The document marks a new step in the relationship between Sun Group, a pioneer in developing large-scale tourism ecosystems and destinations in Vietnam, and Marriott International, one of the world's leading hotel groups.

Under the cooperation framework, the two sides will jointly study and assess opportunities to develop a portfolio of hotels and resorts in several locations, including Phu Quoc and Da Nang. Depending on the characteristics of each project, potential cooperation models may include hotel management, brand franchising and branded real estate development. Each project will be subject to separate agreements to be negotiated and finalised at a later stage.

One of the key projects under consideration is a large-scale hotel complex at the Ruby Beach Mixed-use Urban Area in Phu Quoc. Marriott International is expected to manage hotels operating under four of its brands: JW Marriott Marquis, W Hotels, Le Méridien and The Luxury Collection.

Bringing multiple upscale and luxury brands together within a large-scale complex underscores Phu Quoc's appeal as a destination while reflecting the two groups' shared vision of positioning the island as a hub for high-end leisure travelers and high-value international MICE groups.

In its initial phase, the project is planned to comprise 17 hotel towers with more than 7,000 rooms. Subsequent phases are expected to expand the development, bringing its total inventory to nearly 20,000 rooms.

The cooperation plan is also aligned with the objectives of Politburo Resolution No. 26 on developing tourism into a leading economic sector in the new era. The resolution places emphasis on MICE tourism, high-quality accommodation and products capable of enhancing visitor experiences and increasing tourism revenue.

MICE tourism, encompassing meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and events, is considered a segment capable of generating substantial demand for accommodation, conference facilities, food and beverage, entertainment and destination experiences.

The development of additional international hotel brands alongside large-scale resort complexes could therefore enhance the capacity to accommodate international groups and create more opportunities for destinations such as Phu Quoc and Da Nang to expand their MICE markets.

According to Agoda booking data for the first half of the year, Vietnam ranked among the top three Asian destinations for the highest rate of repeat visitors. Phu Quoc was also among the top five domestic destinations in terms of its ability to attract returning travelers.

The addition of high-end hospitality brands, combined with an integrated range of tourism experiences, is expected to create further opportunities for Vietnam, and Phu Quoc in particular, to extend visitors' stays, increase tourist spending and attract more high-value segments of the international travel market.

Da Nang accelerates MICE tourism to boost year-end growth

By mid-September, Da Nang city had provided consultancy for and welcomed nearly 200 MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) groups with more than 60,000 visitors, including around 35,400 international visitors from 121 groups and 24,600 domestic visitors from 78 ones.