A scenic view of Co To Special Zone.

In 2026, Co To aims to welcome 392,000 tourist arrivals, including 3,300 international arrivals, while generating tourism revenue of VND 1.176 trillion. The island is working toward building the destination brand “Co To – A Green, Smart, Friendly and Safe Island” while gradually restructuring its tourism ecosystem to make it more modern, high-quality and sustainable. To achieve these goals, the special zone is not only expanding its tourism offerings but also accelerating digital transformation in tourism management, promotion and visitor experience enhancement. This is regarded as a key strategy for strengthening the competitiveness of island tourism in the new development phase.

Co To has developed and launched a multi-channel digital ecosystem serving the tourism sector. At the center of this ecosystem is the official tourism portal, cototourism.vn, which provides verified information on more than 100 accommodation establishments, restaurants and tourism service providers. The platform also features digital maps and 3D/360-degree virtual tours, helping visitors conveniently access information before and during their journeys.

Another platform, amazingcoto.vn has been designed to enhance visitor experience and convenience by providing access to tour information, travel packages and online high-speed ferry bookings. Since 2025, the “Co To Digital” mini app on the Zalo platform has also been available, enabling visitors to conveniently check ferry schedules, discover local attractions and access information on accommodation and tourism services.

International visitors explore Co To and its tourism attractions.

Digital technology is being increasingly integrated into tourist attractions across the island. At the President Ho Chi Minh Memorial Complex, a Special National Relic Site on Co To Island, visitors can access automated audio guides in Vietnamese and English via QR codes, while a VR360 virtual tour has been developed and integrated into digital platforms. NFC technology has also been introduced, enabling travelers to obtain information instantly with a simple smartphone tap.

To date, the special zone has digitized data from 120 accommodation establishments on the Co To Digital app and updated information on 15 tourist attractions along with numerous tourism service providers on Google Maps. Notably, the “Hong Hai Smart Tourism Village” project is being implemented as a key milestone in Co To’s digital transformation journey.

Co To is striving to become a green, smart and sustainable island destination. From digital platforms and virtual reality tours to smart community-based tourism models, digital transformation is opening up new pathways for tourism development on this island outpost of Vietnam.

By Huu Viet