Two homestay groups in the Mekong Delta province of Vinh Long and the Northwestern province of Lao Cai received the ASEAN Homestay Award. Meanwhile, four units won the ASEAN Community Tourism Award, namely the Quan Ba Community Tourism Service Cooperative in Ha Giang province, Sin Suoi Ho community tourism village in Lai Chau province, Tan Thanh fishing village in Quang Nam province, and Thai Hai Reserve Area of Ecological Houses-on-Stilts Village in Thai Nguyen province. The ASEAN Public Toilet Award was awarded to the toilets in Saigon Skydeck of Bitexco Financial Tower, Southern Women's Museum and Ben Xua Tourist Area in Ho Chi Minh City. The winners of ASEAN Spa Service Awards were Cham Spa & Massage in the Central city of Da Nang, Sen Tai Thu Vincom Mega Mall Smart City in Hanoi, Sol Spa of Minera Resort Hotel in the Southern province of Ba Ria - Vung Tau, Chi Spa of Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa Sapa - Lao Cai province, and Thala Spa of Best Western Premier Sonasea … [Read more...] about Vietnam wins numerous ASEAN tourism awards
Sicci youth enterprise awards
Miranda Lambert dons Vietnamese-designed gown at Grammys
The 39-year-old country singer turned heads with a custom, black down dripping in silver fringe. The gown was developed from a design in Le Thanh Hoa's collection named Sa Vu, which was released in April last year. Lambert chose black, pointy-toe heels to go with the dress and avoid using too much jewelry and accessories. Miranda Lambert (L) and her husband Brendon McLoughlin on the Grammy Awards red carpet on February 5, 2023. Photo by AFP Hoa said Lambert's team contacted him in late December and ordered the gown for the 65th Grammy Awards. He combined the available design with Lambert's country style to produce an elegant and attractive look. It took him 168 hours to complete the gown. Miranda Lambert is well-known for hits like "Tin Man" and "The House that Built Me." In her career, she has won three Grammys and is the most-awarded artist in the history of Academy of Country Music Awards with 29 wins. Le Thanh Hoa, 38, has designed outfits for many Vietnamese … [Read more...] about Miranda Lambert dons Vietnamese-designed gown at Grammys
Hanoi to spearhead the nation’s industrialization efforts until 2030
Vietnamese people's cultural and human values should be central to the capital’s industrialization process. Hanoi aims to spearhead the nation's industrialization and modernization until 2030, with an eye on 2045. Hanoi has seen major transformation over the years. Photo: Pham Hung According to the municipal Party Committee, the goal of the plan is to transform the mindset and build consensus in the political system and people to achieve socioeconomic development objectives. The Party Committee emphasized the use of science-technology and innovation, specifically Industry 4.0 advancements, as a key solution for the country’s modernization in the 2021-2030 period. “This would help Vietnam to make breakthroughs in productivity and improve the economy's competitiveness,” stated the plan. For Hanoi, the plan identifies key targets for economic growth, enhancing socio-cultural values, urban development, and environmental protection. By 2030, Hanoi and other … [Read more...] about Hanoi to spearhead the nation’s industrialization efforts until 2030
Jeju Air to resume service to Vietnam from April 20
Vietnam plans to welcome one million Korean arrivals this year. Jeju Air, South Korea’s biggest low-cost carrier, will resume services on the routes from Incheon to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City from April 20, after three years of suspension due to Covid-19, according to Yonhap. South Korean and Vietnamese enterprises attend the 2022 Vietnam Tourism - Culture F estival in Seoul last October. Photo: Toquoc Until late 2019, the budget carrier operated eight routes to five cities, including Danang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc. Last June, the company restored the connection from Incheon to Danang and Nha Trang, and from Busan to Danang. Jeju Air aims to turn around this year after posting net losses for three consecutive years through 2021 as eased virus restrictions unleash pent-up travel demand. Vietnam expected to receive one million Korean arrivals this year, hoping to make a breakthrough in tourism cooperation in the near future, … [Read more...] about Jeju Air to resume service to Vietnam from April 20
Hanoi looks to tighten cooperation with Japanese locality
As of the Kanagawa Festival in Hanoi, its latest holding last year has left good imprints on the locals and Vietnamese people. Hanoi will continue tightening relationships with Japanese localities including Kanagawa, focusing on the development of economic and cultural exchange, educational cooperation, and manpower training, among others. Deputy Chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Doan Toan stressed the idea when receiving Governor of Kanagawa prefecture Yuji Kuroiwa on November 11. The meeting also saw the attendance of Umeda Kunio, Ambassador of Japan to Vietnam. At the meeting, the two sides discussed the organization of the Kanagawa Festival in Hanoi this year and the orientations of cooperation between the Vietnamese and Japanese localities in the coming time. According to Hanoi’s deput mayor, the city is currently on a very strong development momentum, to which many Japan – Vietnam cooperation projects have contributed a great deal. Deputy … [Read more...] about Hanoi looks to tighten cooperation with Japanese locality
$8 billion to be pumped into Vietnam’s Central Coast
Seven international partners will support the investment in infrastructure, transport, urban development, and climate response. Nearly US$8 billion will be pumped into Vietnam's Central Coast region to support the socio-economic development of the region towards sustainability and climate adaptation. An overview of the signing and awarding ceremony. Photo: Trung Nhan/The Hanoi Times The value was announced at a signing ceremony held on February 5 between the Ministry of Planning and Investment and international partners. Accordingly, the local authorities granted investment certificates and approved investment policies and investment cooperation for domestic and international investors. Among the investment deals, seven development partners are committed to providing a total capital of more than US$1.7 billion in 45 projects. The partners included the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the French Development Agency (AFD), the International Fund for Agricultural … [Read more...] about $8 billion to be pumped into Vietnam’s Central Coast
PM meets with leaders of Japanese conglomerates
At the reception for Tatsuo Yasunaga, President and CEO of Mitsui & Co Ltd., the Government leader praised the company’s business performance in Vietnam, particularly in processing and distributing of local aquatic products. PM Phuc welcomed a joint project between Mitsui and Minh Phu Seafood Corporation which could push the shrimp export value of the major shrimp farming business in Vietnam to 1 billion USD. Yasunaga informed his host of the success of the joint project, which has seen over 150 million USD invested in improving Minh Phu’s processing, business management and export capacity, adding the sides plan to focus on upgrading refrigeration equipment and expanding export markets, particularly targeting Russia apart from the US. In another meeting with Han Chang-woo, chairman and CEO of Maruhan Corporation, PM Phuc said Vietnam is pressing ahead with effective equitisation of Stated-owned enterprises (SOEs), particularly in transport, infrastructure, construction, … [Read more...] about PM meets with leaders of Japanese conglomerates
Pressure on to support new economic growth
The latest move from the Fed marked eight consecutive rate hikes since March 2022, with no signs that it has reached the peak of its hike journey. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Dinh Trong Thinh, a financial expert from the Vietnam Association of Financial Advisers, predicted that a rate hike of 25 percentage points was anticipated. Thinh stated that, in general, the pressure on the USD/VND exchange rate from the Fed’s interest rate hike is not significant. Pressure on to support new economic growth, photo Le Toan Dr. Le Dang Doanh, former head of the Central Institute for Economic Management, also believes that the Fed’s interest rate rise is targeted to contain inflation in the US, since inflation has begun to fall from the previous year’s low level. The USD price will adjust as a result. “A change in the price will influence the exchange rate between it and VND, impacting import-export businesses and foreign-invested enterprises,” said Doanh. On the other hand, deposit interest … [Read more...] about Pressure on to support new economic growth
Bad debts continue to soar at commercial banks
Deputy governor of the State Bank of Vietnam (SBV) Dao Minh Tu has said that bad debts are climbing for both credit organisations and the wider economy. "It is an ongoing challenge to manage bad debts and banking activities will be seriously affected over the next few years," said Tu. He said that the woes would be revealed more clearly as the ratio of on-balance-sheet bad debt continues to grow due to inflation and interest rate rises. At the end of 2022, bad debts were classified based on the groups of borrowers and economic issues like recovery and inflation curbing. Can Van Luc, a member of the National Monetary and Financial Policy Advisory Council, said that on-balance-sheet bad debt could reach 2.3-2.5 per cent and gross bad debt could hit 6 per cent in 2023, rising into 2024. As the regulations on unchanged debt groups in Circular No.14/2021/TT-NHNN expire, economic recovery could suffer. According to the SBV, at the end of 2022, the ratio of … [Read more...] about Bad debts continue to soar at commercial banks
Biggest spring blood donation festival kicks off
People join the Xuan Hong (Red Spring) Festival – the biggest annual blood donation campaign of the season staring on February 6. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The National Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion (NIHBT) and Hanoi Youth Association for Blood Donation on February 6 kicked off the Xuan Hong (Red Spring) Festival – the biggest annual blood donation campaign of the season. The one-week event themed “Donating blood in spring, multiplying happiness” expects to receive about 8,000 blood units. Donors can visit one of the seven venues in Hanoi, including the institute, Agricultural General Hospital, No26 Luong Ngoc Quyen in Hoan Kiem district, No10, Hamlet 122, Lang Street in Dong Da district, No78 Ngueyn Truong To in Ba Dinh district and No132 Quan Nhan district in Thanh Xuan district and People's Committee headquarter of Trau Quy Town in Gia Lam district. NIHBT Director Nguyen Thanh Ha said that this year, thanks to the community's efforts, preparations for … [Read more...] about Biggest spring blood donation festival kicks off