The People's Committee of the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau said that from this year it would choose a day to mark "Con Dao Day" to further advertise and develop tourism to the island.

It plans to invest more to improve infrastructure such as roads and markets and start a Vung Tau-Con Dao express boat service. Work on tourism projects will also be speeded up.

In 2020-30 Con Dao plans to develop ecological tourism, luxury tourism services, and historical tours.

Con Dao is situated around 97 nautical miles from Vung Tau and 120 nautical miles from HCM City.

Its 16 islands are famous for beautiful beaches and historic sites.

In 2013 it attracted nearly 90,000 visitors, a 9 per cent increase year-on-year, including 19,000 foreigners.

By 2020 it expects to receive 150,000 visitors, more than a third of them from abroad. — VNS