Sun Group and Changi Airports International signed a strategic cooperation agreement on March 23, 2026, to transform Phu Quoc International Airport into Vietnam’s first integrated “airport destination,” combining aviation infrastructure with tourism, retail, and entertainment ahead of the APEC 2027 Summit. The partnership marks a significant step in repositioning one of Southeast Asia’s fastest-growing island gateways from a functional transit point into a full destination experience, modeled on Singapore’s Changi Airport.
Key Facts At A Glance
- Agreement signed: March 23, 2026, between Sun Group (Vietnam) and Changi Airports International (Singapore)
- Changi Airports International (CAI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Changi Airport Group with advisory experience across more than 60 airports in 20 countries
- Sun Group assumed operational control of Phu Quoc International Airport on January 1, 2026, receiving the Airport Business License from Vietnam’s Ministry of Construction
- Phu Quoc International Airport handled approximately 6 million passengers in 2025
- Approved master plan includes a new runway and Terminal 2, targeting 24 million passengers per year at Phase 1 completion, with long-term scalability to 50 million
- Phase 1 infrastructure is targeted for completion before the first quarter of 2027, ahead of the APEC 2027 Summit in November 2027
- New Terminal 2 was designed by CPG Consultants (Singapore) and Artelia Airport (France), with management upon completion by Changi Airport Group
A Strategic Realignment For Vietnam’s Most Visited Island
Sun Group and Changi Airports International formalized a strategic cooperation agreement on March 23, 2026, bringing Singapore’s airport management expertise to Vietnam’s Pearl Island in a partnership designed to redefine what an airport can be. The agreement tasks CAI with providing advisory services across airport operations, commercial performance, air connectivity, capacity planning, and service standards, with a clear mandate to develop Phu Quoc International Airport into an experience-driven destination rather than a functional transit facility.
The signing arrived less than three months after Sun Group’s Sun Airport Corporation formally assumed management of the airport on January 1, 2026, receiving the Airport Business License from Vietnam’s Deputy Minister of Construction, Le Anh Tuan. The transfer represented a decisive shift in Vietnam’s airport privatization trajectory, with Sun Group taking on both the operational and long-term development mandate for an airport that logged approximately 6 million passengers in 2025 and posted a 27% increase in arriving flights during the New Year holiday period alone.
The Development Mandate
The partnership is anchored to a government-approved master plan covering more than 800 hectares to ICAO 4E standard. The plan calls for a second runway, a new international Terminal 2, a dedicated VIP terminal for state and charter traffic, and expanded apron and auxiliary infrastructure. Once Phase 1 is commissioned ahead of the first quarter of 2027, annual capacity will reach 20 million passengers, rising to 24 million under the full master plan, and scalable to 50 million over the long term.
Terminal 2, the centerpiece of the expansion, was designed by CPG Consultants of Singapore and Artelia Airport of France. Its exterior draws from the image of a phoenix. Upon completion, Changi Airport Group itself is contracted to manage the terminal’s operations, deepening Singapore’s institutional footprint in Vietnam’s aviation sector. A separate VIP international terminal, approximately 6,000 square meters in area, was designed by Italian architect Marco Casamonti with the visual language of a sea eagle, specifically intended to serve heads of state and senior leaders expected for the APEC 2027 Summit.
Complementary Strengths
Sun Group’s Chairman, Dang Minh Truong, framed the partnership around a philosophy of integrated destination-making. CAI CEO Eugene Gan affirmed the strategic fit, describing Sun Group’s destination development track record as a foundation well suited to the long-term development of Phu Quoc as a key regional gateway.
CAI brings advisory experience from more than 60 airports across 20 countries. Its involvement at Phu Quoc follows the model pioneered by Changi Airport Group’s own campus, where retail, dining, entertainment, and landscaping operate as a seamless extension of the travel experience rather than supplementary amenities.
Immediate Operational Improvements
Even before the larger capital works are completed, Sun Airport Corporation has moved quickly to raise service standards. From January 1, 2026, the airport introduced an ePass electronic toll system developed with Viettel to reduce vehicle congestion at airport access points. Free Wi-Fi was deployed across all terminal areas for the first time, alongside a new system of 4G and 5G signal-boosting antennas. The Flight Information Display System was expanded in both quantity and interface quality. Staff training programs have been updated to introduce a refreshed service culture oriented toward hospitality rather than procedure.
Aviation And Tourism Context
The agreement is timed to one of the most consequential diplomatic and tourism events in Vietnam’s near-term calendar. Phu Quoc is slated to host the APEC 2027 Summit in November of that year, expected to draw 10,000 to 12,000 delegates including heads of state from 21 APEC member economies. The airport will serve as the primary gateway for that event, making infrastructure readiness a matter of both commercial and national significance.
Sun Group’s aviation ambitions extend beyond the airport agreement. The group also operates Sun PhuQuoc Airways, launched in November 2025, which is executing a seven-market international expansion plan for 2026 including routes to South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Singapore, Hong Kong, and India. The partnership with CAI is expected to provide a development blueprint applicable to Sun Group’s broader portfolio, including planned projects at Phan Thiet and master planning for airports at Con Dao and Rach Gia.