Foreign tourists visit Vietnam (Photo: VNA) HCM City (VNA) - Despite near-term trade headwinds, tourism has emerged as a source of growth for Vietnam to mitigate the challenges ahead in 2023, according to the “Vietnam at a glance” report released by HSBC on February 6. The report stressed that January’s data showed Vietnam continues to face difficulties in trade and the inflationary pressure of increasing prices. However, in spite of slowing trade, there are still pockets of resilience in Vietnam’s economy, and tourism will be a key one in 2023. Following its re-opening last March, Vietnam’s domestic tourism has been soaring, easily surpassing its 2022 target of 60 million to over 100 million tourists. Meanwhile, international tourism, which previously accounted for 60% of tourism receipts, saw a tepid recovery post COVID-19, with tourist arrivals reaching 3.6 million, only 20% of 2019’s level. But there are good reasons to expect a more meaningful recovery, in … [Read more...] about Tourism – a source of growth in Vietnam for 2023: HSBC
Vietnam football
RoK’s Jeju Air to expand flights to Vietnam
The carrier plans to restore services on the routes from Incheon to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City on April 20, Yonhap news agency said, citing the company's statement. Jeju Air operated eight routes to five Vietnamese cities – Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc - at the end of 2019. Most of the routes were suspended in early 2020, when the pandemic hit the airline industry. In June last year, the company resumed the routes from Incheon to Da Nang and Nha Trang, and the Busan - Da Nang route. Jeju Air also plans to restore flights between Incheon and Vientiane of Laos from April 20. The airline 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. Source: VNA … [Read more...] about RoK’s Jeju Air to expand flights to Vietnam
Chinese visitors to Vietnam to reach 3-4.5 million in 2023: HSBC
HSBC predicted in its latest report on Vietnam’s economy that the Southeast Asian country will see a recovery of the number of Chinese visitors by 50-80 percent in 2023 compared to the pre-pandemic volume. In other words, Vietnam is set to welcome three to 4.5 million Chinese tourists this year. The increasing return of Chinese tourists following China’s border reopening on January 8 will notably contribute to the growth of Vietnam’s tourism, which can be a key sector for the latter in 2023, offsetting the decline in trading and manufacturing, according to HSBC experts. In a broader view, the experts believe that the Vietnamese economy will witness a shift from goods to services, which they consider a driver for economic stability despite the trade slowdown. Red represents Chinese tourists as a percentage of the total number of international visitors to countries in Southeast Asia. After Vietnam resumed inbound and outbound tourism in March 2022, its domestic … [Read more...] about Chinese visitors to Vietnam to reach 3-4.5 million in 2023: HSBC
Vietnam’s Internet speed to remain sluggish until March
The sluggish Internet speed in Vietnam will not improve until March when one of the four submarine cable systems with ongoing problems is expected to be fixed. Repair work on the Asia Pacific Gateway (APG) is expected to be finished in March, a representative of an Internet service provider (ISP) told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper on Sunday. It is still unclear when the problems on the Asia America Gateway (AAG), Asia Africa Europe (AAE-1), and Intra Asia (IA) cables will be fixed. Four out of the five submarine Internet cable systems connecting Vietnam to the world are facing problems. The APG and IA encountered issues in late January, while glitches were recorded on the AAG and AAE-1 in late 2022. ISPs said they have deployed routing solutions to overland cable lines, as well as implementing other contingency plans, to minimize the impacts on domestic users. However, many people said that they were unable to use online television and entertainment services, conduct … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Internet speed to remain sluggish until March
35 hospitalized after eating sweet soup in southern Vietnam
As many as 35 people in An Giang Province, southern Vietnam were hospitalized for treatment for food poisoning after eating sweet white cowpea soup. The sweet soup was offered at no charge by a local resident around the full-moon occasion, or the fifteenth day of the first lunar month (February 5). Tran Quoc Phu, director of the medical center of Cho Moi District, An Giang Province, said on Monday that the center received the 35 patients and is treating 31 of them. Four people with more serious conditions were transferred to the General Hospital of An Giang Area. Two patients suffering multi-organ failure still need continuous dialysis and intensive care. They are at high risk of mortality. “We have taken a sweet soup sample for testing to discover the cause of the poisoning case," Phu said. “Most of the patients show symptoms of stomachache and diarrhea. "We think the sweet soup is contaminated with bacterium." Earlier, the 35 patients ate sweet white cowpea soup … [Read more...] about 35 hospitalized after eating sweet soup in southern Vietnam
Jeju Air to resume more air routes to Vietnam this April
The Republic of Korea's largest low-cost airline Jeju Air unveiled on February 6 that it will resume additional air routes to Vietnam, starting in April 2023, after a three-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jeju Air plans to reopen flights from Incheon to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City of Vietnam as from April 20, the airline said in its announcement. Last June, the budget airline re-operated flights from Incheon to Da Nang and Nha Trang, and from Busan to Da Nang in central Vietnam. By the end of 2019, Jeju Air had operated eight air routes to five cities in Vietnam including Da Nang, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang and Phu Quoc. However, most of the routes were suspended in early 2020 due to subsequent COVID-19 outbreaks. Jeju Air also plans to resume flights from Incheon to the Lao capital Vientiane from April 20. … [Read more...] about Jeju Air to resume more air routes to Vietnam this April
Vietnam’s GDP expands by 8.02% in 2022
Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s GDP growth reaches 8.02% this year, a record high in the 2011-2022 period as the economy is recovering strongly, General Director of the General Statistics Office (GSO) Nguyen Thi Huong told a press conference in Hanoi on December 29. The agro-forestry-fishery sector expanded by 3.36%, contributing 5.11% to the total added value of the whole economy. The industry-construction sector grew by 7.78%, contributing 38.24% while the service industry rose by 9.99%, making a 56.55% contribution to the economy. About the economic structure 2022, the agro-forestry-fishery sector accounted for a proportion of 11.88%, industry and construction 38.26%, services 41.33% and product taxes, exclusive of product subsidies, 8.53%. With an annual growth of 7.18%, final consumption contributed to 49.32% of the general growth. Asset accumulation rose by 5.75%, contributing 22.59%, while trade in exports, imports and services adding … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s GDP expands by 8.02% in 2022
Vietnam seizes 600 kg of ivory smuggled from Africa
Vietnamese authorities have over the past week seized more than 600 kilograms of ivory smuggled from Africa, the government said on Monday. Trade in ivory is illegal in Vietnam but wildlife trafficking remains widespread. Other items often found smuggled into the country include pangolin scales, rhino horns and tiger carcasses. Customs authorities in the northern port city of Hai Phong on Monday found nearly 130 kilograms of ivory hidden in a container of cow horns originated from Africa, the government said in a statement. This followed the finding of nearly 500 kilograms of African ivory on Thursday last week at Lach Huyen Port in the city, the government said. This has been the largest seizure of smuggled ivory in the country in more than four years. The authorities had in October 2018 seized more than eight tonnes of ivory and pangolin scales in one of the country's largest wildlife trafficking cases for years. Vietnamese authorities have over the past week seized … [Read more...] about Vietnam seizes 600 kg of ivory smuggled from Africa
The lost notebook: How a Vietnam War memento’s owner was found
"I felt as if something was spurring me to find the notebook's owner," he said. At 10:50 a.m. on January 30, Tan received a phone call from a reporter about what Ha Tinh authorities would do, following a number of news articles translated from the original interview by the North Jersey with Mathews. The 77-year-old veteran has spent decades trying to find the owner of the notebook, someone supposedly named Cao Xuan Tuat from Ky Anh District, Ha Tinh Province. Tan contacted with leaders of both the Ky Anh District and the Ky Anh Commune, as well as other authorities in the central province of Ha Tinh, to see if there’s any deceased or former soldier who goes by the name Cao Xuan Tuat. After a population data check that went all the way back to 1921, Ha Tinh police said there was no one with the name Cao Xuan Tuat. The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs meanwhile said there were 36 deceased soldiers from Ky Anh whose family name was Cao. Nine of them were named … [Read more...] about The lost notebook: How a Vietnam War memento’s owner was found
Striker Tien Linh placed 29th at Asia’s Best Footballer Award 2022
Vietnamese striker Nguyen Tien Linh has received only one point from voters of the Best Footballer in Asia Award 2022, finishing 29th in the list of 31 rated players altogether. Vietnamese striker Nguyen Tien Linh plays for Binh Duong FC The results announced by Titan Sport of China show Tien Linh stayed in the same position alongside Japanese midfielder Akihiro Lenaga and Saudi Arabian goalkeeper Mohammed Alowais. 2022 is the second consecutive year that Tien Linh has been nominated for the Best Footballer in Asia Award. In 2021, the striker of the Binh Duong FC got two points, ranking 22nd alongside five other players. This year, he was highly appreciated by organizers for his impressive performance in the freshly concluded AFF Cup 2022. Together with Thailand’s Teerasil Dangda, the 26-year-old Vietnamese striker scored most goals at AFF Cup 2022. Elsewhere, Son Heung-min of the Republic of Korea won the title of the Best Footballer in Asia 2022 after … [Read more...] about Striker Tien Linh placed 29th at Asia’s Best Footballer Award 2022