"The puzzle piece" promoting the development of Van Don Special Economic Zone

In the picture of economic growth in Quang Ninh, Van Don is emerging as a prominent economic “piece” with the orientation of becoming a regional and international Special Economic Zone. Promoting investment, completing infrastructure and preparing to implement mega projects are creating momentum for a synchronous breakthrough in administration, economy and society for this strategic area.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Hoa Binh , surveyed the Van Don high-end resort complex investment and construction project, April 2, 2025.

Up to now, Van Don has attracted more than 60 projects using non-budgetary capital, with a total registered capital estimated at 63,000 billion VND. Of these, many projects have been completed and initially brought into play great effectiveness, contributing to changing the urban appearance, raising the image of Van Don in the region and internationally.

Notably, Van Don International Airport - the first international airport invested by a Vietnamese enterprise under the BOT model. Since its inception, the airport has played a key role as a traffic hub, connecting Van Don with developed provinces and cities across the country, especially in tourism and service activities and some countries around the world . Next is the Ha Long - Van Don - Mong Cai expressway, inaugurated in 2022, shortening the travel time from Hanoi to Van Don to only 2.5 to 3 hours.

In addition, a series of projects such as: Ao Tien International Port, Wyndham Garden Sonasea Hotel, Angsana Quan Lan Ha Long Bay Resort... are becoming high-end service and tourism highlights, attracting high-income tourists and have been effectively exploited.

Sonasea Van Don Harbor City resort complex of CEO Group.

In the context that Van Don Economic Zone is one of the 13 special economic zones of the country that has just been approved by the National Assembly at the 9th Session, the implementation of the High-end Complex Tourism Service Area Project in Van Don (Van Don Casino) is considered a perfect complementary step for the local economic ecosystem.

The Van Don casino project is expected to cost over 2 billion USD (equivalent to 51,555 billion VND), with a scale of 244 hectares in Van Yen commune. The project is divided into three phases, phase 1 (2023-2027) is expected to have a total investment of about 25,111 billion VND; phase 2 (2027-2031), expected to have a total investment of about 22,082 billion VND; phase 3 (2031-2032), expected to have a total investment of about 4,361 billion VND. The project's goal is to build a resort tourism complex, entertainment with prizes, organize international events and become a leading destination in Asia.

Mr. Chau Thanh Hung, Deputy Head of the Provincial Economic Zone Management Board, said: The advantages and added value of the project created in 70 years of operation are extremely large. Of which, the project contributes to the state budget about 228,928 billion VND (equivalent to 9.67 billion USD) in tax. Particularly for corporate income tax about 134,369 billion VND, VAT 94,559 billion VND.

Perspective of Van Don Casino planning area.

More importantly, the Ministry of Finance's submission to the Prime Minister for consideration of the pilot policy allowing Vietnamese people to participate in casinos in Van Don is a policy breakthrough, contributing to attracting domestic tourists and gradually reducing the "foreign currency" in entertainment spending with rewards.

In order to attract investors to this project, for many years now, the entire area within the project planning has been publicly announced by the locality, strengthening management and supervision, maintaining the status quo and stopping the granting of construction permits, house renovations and perennial tree planting on the land area within the planning.

With its recognition as a special economic zone under the provincial level, Van Don is becoming the locomotive of the 2-level local government model that Quang Ninh is implementing from July 1, 2025. With highlights such as Van Don casino, high-end tourism projects, modern traffic gateways and a series of special mechanisms and policies being considered by the Central Government, Van Don possesses all the perfect "pieces" to become a special growth engine of Quang Ninh's economy and a milestone on the map of special economic centers of Vietnam.

Manh Truong

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/manh-ghep-thuc-day-phat-trien-dac-khu-van-don-3363118.html