Foreign tourists visit the Independence Palace in HCM City on August 8. (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNS/VNA) - Strict visa policies and a shortage of human resources and infrastructure in the tourism sector have stymied recovery of the travel industry, and the target of five million international arrivals this year could be out of reach, industry players have warned. Domestic travel has seen a strong rebound whereas international tourism, with a target of five million arrivals this year, remains in a slump, said Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association. Domestic visitor numbers topped 71.1 million in just the first seven months of this year against a full-year target of 60 million, he said. In the same period there were only 733,000 international visitors, or 8% of pre-pandemic numbers, he told a two-day programme titled ‘Lien Ket Suc Manh Du Lich Vietnam Nam 2022’ (Power of Vietnam Tourism Linkages) that ended in Ho Chi Minh City on August 9. Though … [Read more...] about Vietnam mulls ways to boost inbound travel
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Vietnam is stunning in South Korean artist’s MV
The South Korean musician has composed a series of MVs on Vietnam since he moved to work in the Southeast Asian country three years ago. Vietnam appears splendid with dozens of tourist attractions featured in “Waiting for You – 5000 Years” music video performed by South Korean musician and singer Joseph Kwon. South Korean musician Joseph Kwon at the event releasing “Waiting for You – 5000 Years” MV in Hanoi on August 10. File photo Being showcased in the MV are famous places namely Sa Pa, Ba Be, Ha Long Bay, Trang An Landscape, Cuc Phuong National Park, Tam Chuc, Tam Coc, Mui Ne sand dunes, Nha Trang, Phu Quoc Island, Hanoi’s Old Quarter, Danang, Hoi An, among others. The places that the artist called ‘heavenly’, ‘fantastic’, ‘pearl island’, and ‘emerald.” Among the places, the French-designed Old Quarter in Hanoi looks different from other places where the couple in MV “go through the old streets together.” Filmed from May 17 to July 15, “Waiting for You … [Read more...] about Vietnam is stunning in South Korean artist’s MV
Blue whales put on a show off lesser-known beach in central Vietnam
Vung Boi - De Gi, an unspoiled destination in Phu Cat District around 40 km from Quy Nhon Town, has become the center of attention after some of the giant creatures were spotted off the beach earlier this month. The beach is famous for its clear, blue waters. Lensman Nguyen Phan Dung Nhan of Quy Nhon said he and his friends hired a boat to reach the area where the blue whales are. Diving expert and local tour guide Tommy Toan said that he spotted the whales a month ago. Initially he saw eight blue whales but now there are only two left, a male and a female. A blue whale has its mouth open while hunting for tiny, shrimp-like krill. Toan said he first encountered blue whales on July 26 when he was taking tourists to Hon Trau Islet, about 8 kilometers from the shore. According to folklore, whales are auspicious creatures because fishermen have a good harvest when … [Read more...] about Blue whales put on a show off lesser-known beach in central Vietnam
Vietnam still struggles to welcome back int’l tourists
With the peak summer travel season drawing to a close, Vietnam’s international tourism segment still faces bottlenecks on its route to full recovery. Within the framework of a program early this week to discuss the current state of the Vietnamese tourism sector, representatives from businesses and organizations across the country voiced doubts that Vietnam will meet its goal of welcoming five million foreign tourists by the end of the year if regulations governing visa policies, infrastructure, and personnel are not relaxed. Incomplete recovery According to Cao Thi Tuyet Lan, sales manager at Viettours Incentives & Events Co. Ltd., foreign tourists still find it difficult to enter the country despite Vietnam having fully reopened its borders. “What's more, it is hard to apply for visas for business travelers who work with domestic enterprises," Lan said. “[The domestic partner] first has to register [the foreign partner] with the Immigration Department, then wait for a … [Read more...] about Vietnam still struggles to welcome back int’l tourists
Singapore and Vietnam commit to further strong collaborations
In February, Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc paid a state visit to Singapore, with both nations vowing to continue cementing economic ties. How has this cooperation been implemented so far? Singaporean Ambassador to Vietnam Jaya Ratnam Singapore and Vietnam’s strong economic, trade, and investment ties are underpinned by decades of consistent and meaningful engagement between our governments and peoples. During President Nguyen Xuan Phuc’s state visit to Singapore earlier this year, he and President Halimah Yacob reaffirmed these ties and committed to further collaboration. Our leaders also oversaw the signing of an MoU on economic and trade cooperation between our two countries. We are starting from a very strong base. Singapore has been the leading source of foreign direct investment into Vietnam for the past two years. Singapore is now Vietnam’s second largest foreign investor, with total registered capital of nearly $70 billion. This demonstrates the … [Read more...] about Singapore and Vietnam commit to further strong collaborations
Vietnam – new stop for semiconductor producers
Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Samsung Electronics ’ plan to manufacture semiconductor products in Vietnam has sparked the hope that the Southeast Asian nation will be a new stop for the semiconductor industry . During his recent trip to Vietnam, CEO Roh Tae-Moon unveiled that Samsung will make an additional investment of 3.3 billion USD in the country this year, enabling the Korean technology giant to start producing semiconductor components in Vietnam by July 2023. In fact, part of the investment commitment has been materialised, with 841 million USD for Samsung Complex HCMC-SEHC in Ho Chi Minh City and 1.18 billion USD for Samsung Electro-Mechanics in the northern province of Thai Nguyen. Since 2019, the tech giant has announced that it will raise investment in the semiconductor industry to a whopping 151 billion USD. When Vice Chairman Lee Jae-yong visited Vietnam in 2020, host leaders expressed their wish that Samsung will invest in the … [Read more...] about Vietnam – new stop for semiconductor producers
Vietnam works with some European countries for new passports
Vietnamese authorities have realized that the birthplace-omitted passports have troubled other countries’ immigration work. Vietnam’s Ministries of Public Security (MPS) and Foreign Affairs (MoFA) have been working on redesigned passports with some European countries due to the omission of birthplace in the paper. Vietnam's redesigned passport. Photo: Hoang Lam/Zing MoFA Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang informed at the press conference on August 11 following questions on the visa application rejected by Germany, Spain, and the Czech Republic over the place of birth information. “The Consular Department of MoFA and the Immigration Department of MPS on August 8 worked with the embassies of Germany, Spain, and the Czech Republic in Hanoi to discuss the temporary suspension of visa issuance by these countries to holders of the redesigned passport as the document does not explicitly display information about the place of birth,” Hang said in a statement. At the … [Read more...] about Vietnam works with some European countries for new passports
Vietnam facilitates travel of Vietnamese, foreign citizens
Tourists in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been working with domestic ministries, agencies and foreign partners to facilitate travel of Vietnamese and foreign citizens, said Spokeswoman Le Thi Thu Hang . At the ministry’s regular press conference in Hanoi on August 11, Hang said amid the complicated and uncertain developments of the COVID-19 pandemic with new, more virulent and transmissible variants as well as the emergence of new epidemics like monkeypox, several countries are yet to open their doors and continue limiting travel, some of which are major tourism markets of Vietnam. As the global economy continues to struggle from the pandemic, international tourism has not yet fully recovered, and Vietnam is not an exception. Following the Prime Minister’s directions to accelerate the tourism recovery in the new situation, Hang said Vietnam has promoted the mutual recognition of 'vaccine passports' and the … [Read more...] about Vietnam facilitates travel of Vietnamese, foreign citizens
Vietnam’s star rises in global supply chains
Great opportunities Vietnam has climbed up the value chain over the years, becoming a key electronics manufacturing hub, attracting stable foreign direct investment with its sound macro fundamentals, preferential tax incentives and an abundance of relatively cheap and productive labor. Electronics, a major driving force of Vietnam’s export growth Vietnamese enterprises are increasingly integrating into the global production chain, as confirmed by international organizations, including the World Bank and the Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited (HSBC) in their reports. For decades an apparel and footwear exporter with a low value added, Vietnam has gradually become an important production center in the technology industry, according to HSBC. Ngo Dang Khoa, HSBC Vietnam’s Country Head of Markets and Securities, said Vietnam has become a production center of electronics and cell phone components, helping it lure an increasing number of foreign … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s star rises in global supply chains
Vietnam looks to draw reputable U.S. investors: Ambassador
In a meeting on August 9 with Robert McCooey, Senior Vice President of Nasdaq's Listing Services unit, who leads business development for new listings in Latin America and Asia-Pacific, the Vietnamese diplomat said Vietnam wants to attract big firms from the U.S. to invest in the above-mentioned areas, especially those that can contribute to implementing Vietnam's commitments at the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26). The Delegation of Vietnam to the U.N. is ready to cooperate with Nasdaq in the organization of meetings and seminars to this purpose, especially on the occasion of working visits of Vietnam’s high-ranking delegations to New York, he affirmed. McCooey said that Vietnam's investment environment has a clear competitive advantage in the region thanks to its flexible response policy to the COVID-19 pandemic, and stable legal system. He welcomed the suggestion of the delegation, saying Nasdaq is willing to work with the delegation to introduce … [Read more...] about Vietnam looks to draw reputable U.S. investors: Ambassador