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| Thung Nang, an attractive tourist destination in Ninh Binh. (Photo: VNA) |
According to Travel Off Path, safety is a primary concern for Americans traveling abroad, especially amid the current climate where conflicts are breaking out internationally and security is decreasing across a number of destinations.
Over the last few years, Asia has been no exception, but Vietnam has proven to be remarkably stable and safe for tourists, said the website.
It cited the latest Global Law and Order Index indicating Vietnam is not only the most peaceful state in Asia, but also the seventh worldwide.
Travel Off Path also shared that Vietnam is both prosperous and peaceful, as it enjoys low rates of crime and impressive political stability.
In terms of tourist offers, the website noted that Vietnam is ideal for slow travelers and backpackers seeking to reconnect with nature and expose themselves to a culture that is almost entirely different from their own, especially for those coming from the Northern Hemisphere.
The travel news source suggested that visitors should definitely take time to stroll around the charming, yellow-washed streets of Hoi An which is a UNESCO World Heritage site internationally recognised for its numerous historical temples and French colonial architecture.
“Also not to be missed is neighboring Hue, home to an imposing moated citadel; further down the coast, the sandy beaches and forested reserves of Da Nang are a mandatory stopover, as are the golden sand dunes and sleepy coastal towns lining the laid-back Mui Ne section of the coast,” said the website.
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| Tourists in Hoi An (Photo: VNA) |
It stressed that from vibrant city breaks in Ho Chi Minh City, the busy coastal port of Nha Trang, the capital of Hanoi, to escapes into nature in Ninh Binh which is famous for its rice fields and monumental geological formations, travellers can truly never exhaust their ‘to-do’ list while exploring the country.
It also revealed that Vietnamese Government are welcoming tourists with open arms, recently moving to ease visa requirements for foreigners.
First Dak Lak macadamia container exported to Korean market
The Nutri Soil Import-Export Joint Stock Company held a ceremony to export the first container of macadamia to the Korean market, in Buon Ma Thuot city, the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak, on January 3.
This is also the first export shipment of agricultural products from Dak Lak province in 2024.
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| The first container of Dak Lak macadamia exported to the Korean market. (Photo: VNA) |
Accordingly, more than 10 tons of macadamia grown in Dak Lak was shipped to the Republic of Korea. The product has undergone many inspections by specialized agencies on pest control, food safety and hygiene, packaging specifications and traceability.
Dak Lak is a locality with soil and climate suitable for growing macadamia. Macadamia trees have been planted on trials by the General Department of Forestry since 2003 in Phu Loc and Dlie Ya communes, Krong Nang district, Dak Lak with an area of about 4 hectares. Then, they were expanded to many areas in the province. To date, the province has more than 4,500 hectares of macadamia trees, with an output of more than 1,500 tons a year.
Speaking at the ceremony, Deputy Director of the Dak Lak Department of Industry and Trade Huynh Ngoc Duong said that macadamia nuts are officially exported to the Korean market, after the Japanese market continues to open up opportunities for this specialty grain of Dak Lak to be exported to Asian countries and the world.
The RoK is a potential market for agricultural products. In addition, the Korean importer is an enterprise in Jeollabuk province, a locality that has established a cooperative relationship with Dak Lak since 2017, thereby increasingly demonstrating the spirit of cooperation and economic development of the two localities.
The first official export of Dak Lak macadamia to the RoK, a "difficult" market, has created confidence that Dak Lak’s export turnover will reach more than 1.6 billion USD in 2024.
Vietnam earns 2.89 billion USD from rubber exports in 2023
Vietnam exported about 2.14 million tons of rubber in 2023, worth 2.89 billion USD, a decrease of 0.04% in volume and of 12.7% in value compared to 2022, according to statistics of the Ministry of Industry and Trade’s Department of Import-Export.
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| Vietnam earns 2.89 billion USD from rubber exports in 2023 |
The average export price reached 1,350 USD per ton, down 12.7% compared to 2022.
In 2023, Vietnam’s rubber exports faced many difficulties due to a sharp decline in rubber export prices, so rubber export value is much lower than the same period last year. Meanwhile, the recovery of production activities in China is weaker than forecasts, causing both rubber consumption and selling prices to be low.
In 2023, rubber exports to most markets saw decline compared from the previous year, especially major markets such as India, the US, Germany, Taiwan (China), Turkey, Sri Lanka, Russia, Indonesia and Spain. However, exports to some markets still grew in volume such as China, the Republic of Korea, the Netherlands, Singapore and Czech Republic. Of which, China is Vietnam's largest rubber consuming market.
According to experts, in the coming time, Chinese demand will still be the key factor affecting rubber price developments in Vietnam. In addition, fluctuations in oil prices due to concerns about trade disruption at the Suez Canal will also indirectly affect rubber prices.
Over 23.7 billion USD in public investment disbursed in 2023
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| Illustrative image (Photo: VNA) |
As much as 579.8 trillion VND (23.77 billion USD) worth of public investment was disbursed last year, equivalent to 73.5% of the yearly plan and nearly 82% of that assigned by the Prime Minister, according to the Ministry of Finance.
In a report sent to the Government leader, the ministry lauded several units and localities with high disbursement rates (85-95%) such as the State Bank of Vietnam, the Ministry of Transport, the Ministry of National Defence, and Long An, Quang Ngai, Dong Thap and Ca Mau provinces.
However, 63 out of 115 units and localities had estimated figures lower than the national average, with 12 reporting disbursement rates of under 20%, and two under 40%, it noted.
The ministry said that reasons for low disbursement rates were conflicts between mechanisms and policies, some legal regulations on site clearance, and the mechanism of assigning several localities to hold the prime responsibility for realising public investment in building roads passing through many localities and using the budget of one locality to support others.
To date, although some mechanisms have been amended, there are many issues still being reviewed, affecting the progress of capital disbursement, it added.
The ministry stressed the need to continue accelerating previously proposed public investment disbursement solutions. Project developers also need to soon appraise and accept the completed workloads and complete advance documents to send to the State Treasury for payment.
It also urged units to soon make a plan for the capital that has yet to be disbursed./.