The message was announced at a press briefing on February 26 when Phu Yen announced it would hold a conference to announce provincial planning in early March with clearly outlined directions and goals aimed at modernity and sustainability by 2030.

Under the planning, economic development should focus on the province's maritime advantages, with industry, high-quality tourism, high-tech agriculture, maritime transport and logistics serving as growth pillars.

With a vision to 2050, Phu Yen will become a diverse and prosperous economy, striving to reach the goal of self-balancing the state budget from 2035.

Besides acting as a marine economic centre for the central coastal region, Phu Yen aims to build a smart, green, sustainable, and unique urban system, in which coastal cities entice tourists and offer a comfortable living environment.

According to Phu Yen’s provincial planning for 2021-2030, with a vision to 2050, Phu Yen is set to lift development based on planning rooted on one spearhead, two development corridors, three main development areas, four key tasks, and five development breakthroughs.

Tourism is set to become a key economic sector as well as the driving force behind Phu Yen’s socioeconomic development.

The two development corridors include the North-South coastal corridor connected with National Highway 1, the North-South highway system, and coastal roads.

This area has great potential for urban, industrial, tourism and aquaculture development, of which tourism shall be prioritised for development in the north and industry in the south. Tuy Hoa city will be the centre of integrated development.

The East-West corridor that includes national highways 25 and 29 will focus on the development of agriculture and forestry in a modern and smart direction, with a large specialised farming area; biodiversity conservation, and the development of ecotourism and logistics services.

Meanwhile, the three development pillars are associated with industry, services and agriculture.

In particular, the province is set to spur the development of competitive industries, such as metallurgy, oil refining, energy production, chemistry, agricultural, forestry and fishery product processing, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing products incorporating digital technology.

The services sector will encompass tourism with island and sea resort tourism as the main focus, developing a high-end and unique market.

The development of logistics services shall be associated with Tuy Hoa airport, Vung Ro port, Bai Goc deepwater port, and Dong Hoa ICD dry port. Potential services such as finance and banking, medical services, and skills training shall also be prioritised.

Along with this, Phu Yen envisages three key areas to develop these industries.

Accordingly, the northern key region shall develop tourism and the marine economy; in which Song Cau town has been identified as the service and tourism centre.

The southern key area shall develop industry (including metallurgy, refining and petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and clean energy), seaports, and tourism.

Among them, Dong Hoa has been identified as the industrial and logistics centre. Tuy Hoa city will become a central urban area, with the north giving priority to the development of high-end resorts and quality education and training facilities at a regional level.

The western key area shall develop trade and services, high-tech agriculture, raw materials for processing factories, and tourism development.

Among them, the townships of Cung Son and Hai Rieng shall become trade links with localities in the Central Highlands region.

The four key tasks include accelerating administrative reforms; mobilising and utilising resources in an effective and cost-efficient manner; developing human resources, especially high-quality human resources; and promoting the application of scientific and technological achievements in production and business, especially in high-tech agriculture.

The five breakthroughs, deemed as Phu Yen's top development priorities, include transportation infrastructure; South Phu Yen Economic Zone with the nucleus of development being Bai Goc deepwater port and Hoa Tam Industrial Park; a chain of coastal urban areas with an expanded Tuy Hoa city; several international standard educational facilities and high-quality healthcare units; and digital infrastructure, creating a fulcrum for the development of a digital government and society.