Things are looking rosy for the service industry in Phu Quoc island,southern Kien Giang province with an expected boom in tourism following afall in prices and the completion of major tourism projects.

With the island enjoying regular power supply from the national gridstarting a few months ago, the prices of goods and services have beensteadily declining and this is certainly acting as a magnet fortourists. Until the link-up with the grid power was supplied bygenerators on the island.

Besides, some major tourism projectsthat are being developed will also attract visitors to the country'slargest island. Among those, the Vinpearl Amusement Park isscheduled to open this month.

To take advantage of this influxof visitors, hotels, shops, restaurants, and other hospitalitybusinesses are mushrooming.

Dozens of small hotels are poppingup all over the main town of Duong Dong, with their constructionracing against time to finish ahead of the peak tourism season betweenDecember and April.

Existing mini hotels, mostly owned bylocals, are expanding with elevators and air-conditioners added toincrease the number of rooms as well as comfort.

Besides, more and more shops and restaurants are opening, offering new products and services.

An Indian plans to open his first shop next month on Tran Hung DaoStreet, which is transforming into a popular destination for foreigntourists. The shop will sell made-in-India jewellery.

Somepeople, however, express concern, warning too many resorts and hotelswill damage the island's natural beauty and tranquility.

"Inthe past, the island had a beachside road running around it but we areno longer able to do that," a man who runs a private service that movestourists around the island and asked not to be named, said.

"The road must take a bend everywhere it faces a resort or a giant hotel."

Australian Jimmy, who said he has lived there for 10 years and nowruns a small business selling tickets for the fast ferries from Phu Quocto Ha Tien and Cambodia , felt that the island is losing some of itscharm.

"Ten years ago the island was much more wonderful andthere were a lot of western tourists coming here to enjoy lying onpristine beaches.

"The construction should be limited and planned well to limit adverse impacts on the native forests."

The island district of Phu Quoc is expected to welcome 800,000tourists by the end of the year, with around 100,000 internationalvisitors.

Nguyen Phuoc Thanh, head of the district's sports,culture and tourism division, said the 800,000 mark is possible toachieve because there has been an increase in the number of domestictourists.

Phu Quoc has welcomed 446,307 domestic visitors sincethe beginning of this year, while 72,617 international tourists visitedthe island in the first nine months.

However, domesticarrivals only averaged less than five percent per year in the past twoyears, while foreign tourists boasted strong growth, over 14 percent in2012 and over 32 percent in 2013.

Thanh said that more convenient transport is one of the main reasons leading to the strong growth of foreign tourists.

"Now tourists can easily reach the island both by sea and by air.There are many daily direct flights between Phu Quoc and big cities likeHanoi and HCM City. There will be international direct flightsto Phu Quoc in the near future," he said. A fast ferry service totransport goods and people between Phu Quoc and Rach Gia or between PhuQuoc and Ha Tien was put into operation in 2010. A new internationalairport was built in 2012.-VNA