Day: February 11, 2023

Digital marketing and communication made positive contributions to the recovery of Vietnam’s tourism in 2022.

Vietnam’s tourism gradually recovered in 2022, especially domestic tourism. The number of domestic tourists was estimated at over 101 million, exceeding the figure of 85 million in 2019, when the pandemic was something in the future. Total revenue from tourism reached about 495 trillion VND (21.01 million USD), 23% higher than planned and 66% higher than that of 2019.

Meanwhile, the country received 3.66 million foreign arrivals last year, equivalent to 73% of the target.

The tourism communication activities were deployed on a variety of digital platforms.

Specifically, the website vietnamtourism.gov.vn serves state management and tourism promotion while vietnam.travel specialises in promoting the images of Vietnam’s tourism abroad.

The website vietnam.travel has had views increase sharply, which shows the great interest of international tourists in Vietnam’s tourism as well as proves the role of digital communication in tourism promotion.

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A Vietnam tourism website (Photo: Screenshot)

Tourism authorities in Vietnam also created pages on social networks like Facebook, Zalo, Youtube, and Instagram to further spread information about Vietnam tourism.

With these digital platforms, attractive destinations, quality tourism products and services have been promoted and introduced to domestic and foreign tourists through video clips, articles, and beautiful images.

Moreover, information about the guidelines and policies of the Party and State on tourism development, especially that on Vietnam’s tourism reopening on March 15, 2022, was updated quickly and accurately.

Communication activities towards the international markets closely followed the theme “Live fully in Vietnam” while those towards the domestic market were taken under the theme “Safe travel, full experience”.

Notably, Vietnam launched communication programme “Vietnam: Travel to love!” on Youtube with many video clips featuring Vietnam’s beautiful landscapes, people, and tourism services that expectedly inspire people to travel to Vietnam. They have attracted millions of views.

Many of the clips were launched at times of great significance to the tourism industry. Typically, the clip “Spring Reunion” was launched on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. The clip “Complete experience” was launched when Vietnam reopened its tourism on March 15, 2022, and welcomed the Visit Vietnam Year 2022 – Quang Nam.

The clip “Let’s shine and live fully” promoted Vietnam’s tourism on the occasion of SEA GAMES 31 in May 2022 while the clip “Wonders of Vietnam” was released on the occasion of the 62nd anniversary of Vietnam’s tourism industry (July 9, 1960 – July 9, 2022)./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Experts have held that the real estate sector will begin a recovery phase in 2023 with many difficulties lying ahead. However, difficult times will present opportunities for long-term investors to buy low.

It is expected that in the future, finding the true value of real estate properties will be the trend of choice.

Expert Dang Hung Vo said that investments in things such as landscape, infrastructure, stylish interiors, and connected spaces and services are considered the real value of a property. Such value can be up to 70% of the sale price of a house.

Troy Griffiths, Deputy Managing Director of Savills Vietnam, predicted that the global realty market in 2023 will move more slowly. High interest rates will restrain inflation around the world, meaning that the demand for real estate should tend to decrease.

The interesting point in Vietnam is that it is ahead of other markets thanks to the urbanisation rate of 47%, Griffiths said, adding that in the eyes of investors, the Southeast Asian nation still has a long way to go with the urbanisation process.

According to the company’s statistics, the industrial real estate segment will also continue to grow, with infrastructure systems across the country helping to increase the value of related projects in many localities.

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Illustrative photo (Source: vtv.vn)

For individual investors, the first half of the year will be an important time for them to observe before making decisions. Given that the uncertainties of the global economy are softening, investors should not rush to go out of market, Griffiths said./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh and his spouse visited the University of Brunei Darussalam (UBD) on February 11 morning, as part of his ongoing visit to Brunei.

As the most prestigious university of Brunei, UBD ranked third regionally and officially formed partnership with Vietnam’s FPT University in July 2013, mostly in English training. It recently added Vietnamese into its curricula, apart from other foreign languages such as English, French, German, Japanese and Korean.

Talking with students majoring in Vietnamese language, PM Chinh wished that the contingent of Vietnamese teachers in the university would grow in number while Vietnamese class students would soon become fluent in using this language, becoming messengers of friendship and cooperation between the two nations.

While interacting via teleconference with Vietnamese students learning English at UBD-FPT Global Centre based in the central city of Da Nang, Chinh described the centre as a vivid symbol of education cooperation between Vietnam and Brunei.

He wished that students there would continue making progress in study and make positive contributions to bilateral friendship and cooperation.

Talking with the Brunei Minister of Education and UBD’s leaders, the Vietnamese leader hoped that UBD will ensure teaching quality and further expand the size of classrooms.

Speaking highly of progress in bilateral education cooperation in line with the Memorandum of Understanding on bilateral education cooperation signed in April 2014, he suggested Brunei continue providing scholarships and effectively implement short-term student exchange programmes such as the Global Discovery Programme and the Discovery Year.

The Vietnamese PM hailed UBD for choosing Vietnam as the destination for its first branch in Southeast Asia, and believed that UBD will keep growing in the region and the world as well as expand partnerships with Vietnam’s tertiary education establishments.

On the occasion, PM Chinh and his spouse planted trees at the UBD./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh held talks with Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah right after meeting with members of the House of Bolkiah in Bandar Seri Begawan capital on February 11 morning.

Sultan Bolkiah affirmed that Brunei always treasures and wishes to keep developing its partnership with Vietnam, especially in economy, trade, investment, education and agriculture.

PM Chinh, for his part, conveyed the Vietnamese leaders’ regards to the Brunei Sultan and royal family. He underlined Vietnam’s consistent policy of valuing the development of comprehensive partnership with Brunei.

He expressed his belief that Brunei will soon realise the Brunei Vision 2035 (Wawasan Brunei 2035), becoming an economy with dynamic and sustainable development.

Both leaders spoke highly of the effective development of bilateral comprehensive partnership in various areas, from politics, national defence-security to economy, trade, investment, maritime cooperation, energy and education-training. In particular, two-way trade soared by 134% annually to 725.8 million USD last year.

In the near future, both sides will continue facilitating all-level visits, effectively implement the ministerial-level Bilateral Cooperation Committee and important cooperation agreements, especially the Action Plan on the implementation of Vietnam-Brunei comprehensive partnership for the 2023-2027 period, which was signed on the occasion.

They pledged to boost trade growth in a more diverse and balanced direction, consider the possibility of establishing a joint venture on the exploitation, cultivation and processing of aquatic products, as well as seek opportunities in new cooperation areas such as digital economy, circular economy and climate change response.

PM Chinh suggested Brunei create favourable conditions for Vietnamese goods to enter the country, particularly rice and farm produce meeting Halal standards. He also committed all possible support for Brunei enterprises to do business in Vietnam.

He also proposed increased coordination to connect the two economies together to build them into independent and self-reliant economies that widely and effectively integrate into the world.

Host and guest vowed to enhance collaboration in other important realms such as national defence-security and maritime activities, including maintaining the effectiveness of the hotline to support fisheries activities and share information on law enforcement at sea. They will also boost ties in education-training, tourism and connectivity as well as increase the frequency of direct commercial flights.

On regional and global issues, they promised to continue with close coordination at regional and global forums, maintain solidarity and uphold the central role of ASEAN.

They reaffirmed the importance of peace, stability, safety, security and freedom of navigation in the East Sea; jointly maintain ASEAN’s solidarity and common stance on the East Sea issue, and strive for progress in negotiating a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC).

On the occasion, PM Chinh invited the Brunei Sultan and Queen to visit Vietnam at an appropriate time. The host accepted his invitation with pleasure and wished to visit Vietnam soon.

Concluding the talks, the leaders witnessed the signing and exchange of the Action Plan on the implementation of Vietnam-Brunei comprehensive partnership for the 2023-2027 period and a diplomatic note on visa waiver for diplomatic and official passport holders between Vietnam and Brunei./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

A 24-member team deployed by the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security has begun engaging in search and rescue efforts in the Turkish southeastern city of Adiyaman, which is among localities bearing the brunt of the devastating February 6 earthquake.

According to the ministry’s police department of fire prevention, fighting and rescue, the delegation arrived in the Istanbul international airport on February 10. Due to difficulties in traveling and having to transport 15 tonnes of equipment for rescue work, they were divided into two groups to reach the site where their services are needed.

On February 11, they began working at the rubble of a building in Adiyaman where the local authorities said 15 people are trapped.

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The team works at the site (Photo courtesy of the delegation)

Related inspection and planning activities are thoroughly conducted given extremely difficult conditions, as the temperature drops to minus 6 degrees Celsius and collapsed buildings continue to fall, said a representative of the team.

The group left Vietnam for Turkey on February 9, marking the first time Vietnam has sent a delegation on an international search and rescue mission to a disaster site far away from its territory./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

The National Assembly Standing Committee’s 20th session is scheduled to open on February 13 and close on February 15 in Hanoi, reported the NA Office.

NA Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue will attend and deliver an opening speech, and take turns to chair the sitting together with NA Vice Chairpersons.

During the session, the committee will look into some major issues with mixed opinions related to the draft Law on Civil Defence, the draft revised Law on Protection of Consumer Rights and the draft amended Law on Electronic Transactions; the draft Decree on personal data protection; the draft Resolution on duties, authority, structure and organisation of the NA’s Secretariat; the draft Resolution on emulation and commendation for deputies, NA and NA Standing Committee’s organs, officials and civil servants under the management of the NA Standing Committee.

It will also consider and approve the draft Ordinance on Sanctions of Administrative Violations in State auditing, the draft Resolution guiding the implementation of regulations on NA meetings.

As scheduled, the committee will consider the assignment of portfolios and capital for tasks and projects under the second phase of the socio-economic recovery and development programme.

The committee members will mull over reports on the outcomes of the second and third extraordinary meetings of the 15th legislature and the NA’s ombudsman work in December 2022 and January 2023.

They are due to approve the PM’s proposals on appointment and dismissal of Vietnamese ambassadors, and decide on the establishment of several district- and communal-level administrative units of An Giang, Bac Ninh, Bac Kan, Ben Tre, Binh Duong, Dak Lak, Quang Nam, Thai Nguyen, Tra Vinh and Vinh Phuc provinces./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Vietnam has been elected vice chair of the 24-member UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee of the 2005 Convention for the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions, representing the Asia-Pacific region, as part of the committee’s 16th session.

Ambassador Le Thi Hong Van, head of the Permanent Delegation of Vietnam to UNESCO, emphasised that taking on this post for the second time continues to demonstrate Vietnam’s increasing position and prestige in the international arena; and the international community’s support for and trust in the Southeast Asian nation’s contribution and management capacity at global multilateral institutions. The election has also recognised Vietnam’s active contribution to UNESCO and its efforts to promote the role of culture and creativity in sustainable, inclusive and resilient development, she noted.

Taking place in Paris from February 7-10, the 16th session saw the participation of nearly 400 delegates and observers from all member nations and nearly 100 other countries, international and cultural organisations.

At the event, member countries spoke highly of Vietnam’s policies and practical measures to optimise the role of culture as an endogenous strength and a driving force for sustainable development; protect and promote the diversity of cultural expressions in the context of culture and creativity heavily affected by the pandemic, globalisation and digitisation. They also welcomed Vietnam’s efforts to develop a national cultural index for sustainable development and its creative cities network.

In its new position, Vietnam will have favorable conditions to further contribute to the implementation of the 2005 Convention’s goals and priorities; and take advantage of knowledge, experience and external resources for its cultural and sustainable development in the new period, Van said.

The 2005 Convention was adopted on October 20, 2005 and has so far been ratified by 152 countries. Vietnam was first elected as vice chair of the committee in the 2011-2015 tenure./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency

Ties between Bangladesh and Vietnam have been growing in various areas, including trade, investment, agriculture, culture, education and connectivity over the past five decades, Director General of the Bangladeshi Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ South East Asia Wing Najmul Huda has said.

During an interview recently granted to the Vietnam News Agency on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Vietnam-Bangladesh diplomatic ties (February 11, 1973), Huda said traditional friendship, together with the exchange of high-level visits, has created stronger impetus for bilateral ties.

Bangladesh wants to renew and reaffirm its commitments to making the best use of existing cooperation potential in various areas, including priority fields such as agriculture, pharmaceuticals, exclusive economic zones of Bangladesh, information technology, e-commerce, apparel, direct air service connectivity, rattan products, banking and tourism, he said.

He added that both nations could offer the best business environment to their firms to expand operations in each other’s markets.

Located in the intersection of South Asia and Southeast Asia, Bangladesh expects to make further positive contributions to connecting the two regions via promoting more institutional commitments with ASEAN, he stressed.

He expressed a hope that Bangladesh will soon become a sectoral dialogue partner of ASEAN and wishes to receive Vietnam’s invaluable support in this regard./.

Source: Vietnam News Agency