Dung Dang, Visa's country manager for Vietnam and Laos said, “For more than a decade, the Global Travel Intentions Study has equipped Visa and its partners with unparalleled insights into the travel and payment landscape. This invaluable knowledge allows operators in the industry to plan and execute effective strategies to satisfy consumer demands and grow their businesses, all while reinforcing Visa’s commitment to creating a cashless society.” Emerging trends powering the travel boom The GTI 2023 revealed an ongoing trend in the Vietnamese travel industry, with the rise of Gen Z and families with children as significant contributors to the growth. In terms of leisure trips, families travelling with kids and the older generation made the most trips over the past 12 months, with an average of 2.4. Gone are the days when travel was solely about ticking off landmarks from a checklist. Vietnamese travellers are now placing a strong emphasis on leisure-focused and … [Read more...] about A journey of discovery from Visa Global Travel Intentions Study 2023
Cashless payment solutions
LPBank partners with Temenos to drive next-gen banking solutions
The agreement to implement Temenos' Corebanking T24 system was formalised in Hanoi on September 22. The system’s deployment is anticipated to streamline LPBank’s operational processes and reduce both time and costs associated with implementation, thereby promoting enhanced revenues and service quality while catering to the diverse needs of the bank’s clientele. This pivotal move forms a cornerstone of LPBank’s extensive digital transformation strategy, aligning with its ambition to progressively establish itself as a premier retail bank that is accessible to all. Temenos’ Corebanking T24 is operational in over 3,000 banks worldwide and favoured by major Vietnamese banks such as MB, Sacombank, and VPBank. The deployment of this system paves the way for LPBank to escalate its growth trajectory and materialise its vision, enriching customer experiences and interactions across the board by leveraging advanced technology. Post-deployment, the T24 system is poised to augment … [Read more...] about LPBank partners with Temenos to drive next-gen banking solutions
Hanoi inks tourism agreement with northern provinces, cities
In January-August, Hanoi welcomed nearly 17 million visitors, up 36% on-year. Hanoi and four northern provinces and cities on September 24 inked a joint agreement to boost the tourism sector. Foreign tourists at Hanoi's Temple of Literature. Photo: Pham Hung/The Hanoi Times The agreement, signed by the provinces of Lao Cai, Hai Duong, Quang Ninh and the coastal city of Haiphong, aims to combine cross-regional values and leverage each locality's advantages to create outstanding tourism products and services for the Northwest and Northeast regions. "Tourism cooperation among localities is essential to boost socio-economic growth post-pandemic," said Ha Van Thang, director of Lao Cai Provincial Tourism Department. The five cities and provinces have long-term partnerships in the tourism sector . Their main products include spiritual and cultural tourism. Under the agreement, the cities and provinces will strengthen information and communication in … [Read more...] about Hanoi inks tourism agreement with northern provinces, cities
N.A. Chairman visits Bangladesh’s Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Meeting with the company’s leaders, N.A. Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue hailed the firm’s exports of some products to Vietnam, a market with a population of 100 million people, and stressed the possibility for Beximco to tap into a larger market of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with 650 million consumers. Mentioning the company's major business fields of pharmaceuticals and apparel, the N.A. Chairman said these are two spheres where Vietnam and Bangladesh have advantages and should promote cooperation. Vietnam has paid due attention to and encouraged medical projects, products and solutions which play an increasingly important role in the post-COVID-19 period, he said, underscoring that incentives have been given to projects on research and production of medicinal materials, and technology application to produce medicines. The top legislator highlighted Vietnam’s new and breakthrough policies to improve the quality of medical examination, and create a legal … [Read more...] about N.A. Chairman visits Bangladesh’s Beximco Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
Phuc Khang applies green building standards to reduce carbon emissions
To date, carbon emissions from building operations have reached an all-time high of around 10 gigatons of CO 2 . This figure is an increase of about 5 per cent compared to 2020 and 2 per cent higher than the previous peak in 2019. Therefore, reducing carbon emissions in construction projects plays an essential role in achieving an overall reduction. The World Green Building Council (WGBC) has developed a vision and action framework up to 2030. In particular, all newly built construction projects must have zero operational carbon and reduce their associated energy by 40 per cent in terms of embodied carbon. By 2050, all buildings (both existing and new) must achieve-zero operational carbon, with new constructions having to achieve zero carbon content. Measured over the entire life cycle of the building, a zero-carbon construction is one with zero operating and zero embodied carbon. Diamond Lotus Riverside by PKP has been researched and applied many strategies to reduce … [Read more...] about Phuc Khang applies green building standards to reduce carbon emissions
Two million helmets to be presented to first graders in this school year
The programme on presenting helmets to first graders is carried out by the National Traffic Safety Committee , the Ministry of Education and Training , and Honda Vietnam. (Illustrative photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – As many as 2 million helmets will be presented to first graders nationwide in the 2023 - 2024 academic year under a programme launched by the National Traffic Safety Committee, the Ministry of Education and Training, and Honda Vietnam on September 25. Addressing the launch at the Phu Do Primary School in Hanoi, General Director of Honda Vietnam Koji Sugita said the company pledges to take every possible measure for realising Honda’s global target of no traffic deaths related to Honda motorcycles and automobiles by 2050, and the Vietnamese Government’s target of no deaths related to road accidents by 2045. He noted wearing qualified helmets is a practical and important solution to protect motorcyclists and their families. It is crucial for helping first graders, … [Read more...] about Two million helmets to be presented to first graders in this school year
In Vietnam, man gives artifacts a second life
Old artifacts are not only valuable, but also a keepsake for many families. Many people would be extremely sad if an artifact was damaged for some reason. In such cases, they may eventually find their way to an expert like Nguyen Khac Duy. Ten years ago, the man, now 34, who lives in Sa Dec City in the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap, returned to his hometown after completing his military service and assisted his family business in trading artifacts. Noticing that the supply of artifacts was dwindling over time, Duy thought of finding solutions to repair damaged items, which would allow his family to sustain their business for a long time to come. Giving old things a second life In the early days of trying to repair damaged artifacts, Duy's lack of confidence meant he only fixed his own artifacts for fear of further harming customers’ precious items. However, after some time, as the artifacts he repaired became more common, more and more collectors came to ask him to … [Read more...] about In Vietnam, man gives artifacts a second life
Hanoi Party Chief begins a five-day visit to Beijing
The visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations between Hanoi and Beijing and other Chinese localities. Secretary of the Hanoi Communist Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung on September 25 arrived in Beijing to begin a five-day visit in China. Hanoi Secretary of the Party Committee Dinh Tien Dung (right) arrives in Beijing on September 25. Photo: Hanoi Party Committee Secretary Dung led a group of high-ranking Hanoi delegates to realize the joint statement between Vietnam and China on enhancing the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. The partnership was strengthened after General Secretary of the Vietnamese Communist Party Nguyen Phu Trong paid a visit to China on October 10-November 11, 2022. During the five-day trip, the Hanoi delegation will meet high-ranking officials of the Chinese Communist Party, the Chinese Government, Beijing and other localities. Secretary Dung’s visit will also aim to assure Hanoi and Beijing make efficient … [Read more...] about Hanoi Party Chief begins a five-day visit to Beijing
State-owned groups keen on roadmaps for reform
“In recent times, state-owned enterprises (SOEs) haven’t been contributing as much as they once did,” said Phan Van Mai, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, at last week’s national conference to address SOE production, business, and investment improvements. In Ho Chi Minh City alone, there are almost 50 SOEs. As of July, these enterprises boasted total assets of $4.43 billion with an equity capital of $3.16 billion. Their collective revenues for the first six months stood at $1.33 billion, with a profit of $205 million. Harnessing the vast resources of these SOEs is imperative for Ho Chi Minh City’s economic growth, Mai stressed, adding that the private sector, inclusive of both private domestic groups and foreign direct investment, have also been expected, and even tasked, to stimulate economic growth. Such a predicament is not solely Ho Chi Minh City’s cross to bear. The decline has echoes globally, influenced by international economic instability, political … [Read more...] about State-owned groups keen on roadmaps for reform
Forum discusses impact of climate change
At the forum, held also thanks to the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs and the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, speakers emphasised the substantial challenges faced by the climate finance sector in Vietnam in aligning significant investment opportunities with environmental objectives. This sentiment was shared by Allen Forlemu, the IFC's regional industry director for Financial Institutions Group, Asia-Pacific, when he said, “It is evident that climate change is an increasingly disruptive factor for Vietnam's economy, and the costs are already starting to undermine growth. In 2020, Vietnam lost $10 billion, or 3.2 per cent of its GDP, to climate change impacts.” “If nothing is done, costs will only rise. In a business-as-usual scenario with limited global mitigation efforts, climate change could cost Vietnam up to 14.5 per cent of GDP annually in roughly 30 years, with the potential to push a million people into extreme poverty in less than a decade,” … [Read more...] about Forum discusses impact of climate change