There will be a total of three flights a week departing from Hanoi on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday; along with four flights a week departing from Ho Chi Minh City on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. All flights will be operated by wide-body aircrafts.
Vietnam Airlines is the first domestic airline to open direct flights to Manila. The new route marks a milestone for the airline in the international flight network development strategy as they connect the three leading economic hubs of Southeast Asia.
According to Vietnam Airlines’ representative, the launching of the flights also contributes to promoting economic, cultural, and tourism exchanges between both countries as well as the Southeast Asian region in general.
Thai journalist hails Phu Quoc as luxurious, classy destination at lower cost than Thailand
Thailand’s Nation Story newspaper has run a story suggesting experiences not to be missed in Phu Quoc island of Vietnam, highlighting that local tourism service prices are half of those in Thailand, and recommending visitors to spend at least five days to fully enjoy the “pearl island”, reported Vietnam News Agency.
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| Bai Sao Beach is one of the best beaches of Phu Quoc with crystal white sand |
Thasaneya Ratwong, the author, called Phu Quoc a “heavenly island” of Vietnam which provides rich experience meeting diverse demands of tourists.
“The island has become a global tourism hotspot for tourists seeking unique natural beauty and many fascinating experiences,” commented Thasaneya.
The thing that fascinated the Thai reporter most while travelling Phu Quoc was the reasonable cost. “The prices for accommodation and food services are much cheaper than those in Thailand. In particular, fresh seafood is only half the price compared to Thailand," she commented when comparing specific service prices at the pearl island of Vietnam with some famous tourist destinations in the “golden temple” kingdom.
During her journey, Thasaneya was most impressed with the southern part of Phu Quoc and divided the experience into three main parts. For art and culture lovers, the female reporter suggested Sunset Town. For those who want to find a real tropical paradise, world-class resorts at Bai Kem will be ideal. Meanwhile, adventure seekers should spend at least a day to take the cable car to Hon Thom island to admire the beautiful panorama of Phu Quoc sea from above and snorkel to see the corals.
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| Cau Hon (Kissing Bridge) – A new icon of Phu Quoc tourism with unique design |
Sunset Town was the place that left a strong impression on Thasaneya who called it a destination of love and art. "The town has bright Mediterranean-inspired colours, a unique style adorned with lush gardens and tropical beauty," the reporter described. “The destination also has enchanting attractions such as the Kissing Bridge with two branches 30cm apart, serving as a breathtaking backdrop to watch the sunset.”
Thasaneya was even more impressed when she was "treated" to an additional experience - an extreme Jetski & Flyboards sports art show "Love Vortex". "Not simply an extreme sports performance, the "music and poetry" show gives jetski and flyboard the appearance of the creative colours of art," Thasaneya wrote.
The Thai journalist was "extremely excited" to witness the athletes performing at a height of 15m and making extremely daring turns in the air. In the evening, joining the crowd, she continued to experience the world's largest multimedia show Kiss of the Sea and immersed herself in Vietnamese culture with the Vietnamese puppet show. In particular, the thing that most impressed the Nation Story's reporter when touring Phu Quoc was the surprise of fireworks show every night in Sunset Town. "Phu Quoc is a rare place in the world where fireworks shows are held all year round," she underlined.
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| Kiss of The Sea – A show staged by the French at Sunset Town |
Not only enjoying these joyful experiences, Thasaneya was also especially impressed with the natural beauty of the south of Phu Quoc island. She was captivated by Bai Kem and Bai Sao - two beaches that were repeatedly praised by international media. Among them, Bai Kem was voted by Canada's Flight Network as one of the 50 most beautiful beaches on the planet.
To fully enjoy these experience, the Thai journalist believed that a three-day-and two-night tour like hers is not enough. "Visitors need at least five days to experience the island," Thasaneya emphasised.
With reasonable prices, wonderful natural beauty, diverse cultural experiences and classy resort amenities, Phu Quoc has increasingly attracted Thai tourists. This is the success of the pearl island to conquer tourists from a country that already has famous tourist islands such as Phuket, Koh Sa Mui, and Krabi. Furthermore, the trend of choosing Phu Quoc as a destination among Thai tourists is likely to rise thanks to convenient travelling with direct flights from Bangkok that take visitors only 1 hour and 50 minutes to reach the pearl island.
Foreign investment driven towards new breakthrough phase
Vietnam has so far drawn nearly 500 billion USD in registered FDI capital after nearly four decades of opening up its economy, with investment quality improvement considered a key task for a new breakthrough phase ahead, the Ha Noi Moi newspaper assessed in its recent article.
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| Currently, the FDI sector creates over 2 million jobs, while contributing more than 70% of Vietnam's total export turnover, about 50% of its industrial output, and over 20% of its GDP. (Photo: VNA) |
According to the General Statistics Office, the total FDI in the first quarter of 2024 neared 6.17 billion USD, up 13.4% year-on-year. The first three months also saw 4.63 billion USD worth of FDI disbursed, an annual rise of 7.1% and the highest for the quarter over the past five years.
Currently, the FDI sector creates over 2 million jobs, while contributing more than 70% of Vietnam's total export turnover, about 50% of its industrial output, and over 20% of its GDP. Up to 80% of the foreign enterprises with headquarters or branches in the country have developed ESG (environmental, social, and governance) strategies.
The paper said international investors are now shifting their focus towards high-tech, environmentally friendly sectors, which is conducive to Vietnam's sustainable development goals. Between the fourth quarter of 2023 and now, the Southeast Asian nation has hosted numerous delegations of businesses and investors exploring opportunities in high-tech, clean energy, and circular economy, with plans for semiconductor production having emerged. The Vietnamese government also advocates the swift and effective implementation of programmes to train 50,000 high-quality engineers by 2030, serving all stages of the value chain related to the aforementioned manufacturing sectors.
Recognising FDI importance for economic growth, the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 667/QD-TTg dated June 2, 2022, approving the foreign investment cooperation strategy for 2021-2030. The document highlights the attraction of high value-added foreign-funded projects with advanced technology, modern management, positive spillover effects, and connections to global production and supply chain.
Minister of Information and Communications Nguyen Manh Hung stated that Vietnam is proactively building an ecosystem to support the formation and development of the semiconductor industry, inviting foreign investors to participate. It is also actively working to ensure high-quality human resources meeting the requirements of related projects.
Meanwhile, the National Innovation Centre (NIC) is closely coordinating with many domestic and international technology enterprises such as Viettel, FPT, Intel, and Qualcomm to promote research cooperation, human resources training, talent recruitment, and ecosystem development for semiconductor manufacturing.
In a new initiative, a delegation of 50 leading US companies in key sectors such as energy, aviation, technology, banking, and food recently visited Vietnam to seek partnership and investment opportunities. As a result, important content was exchanged and a memorandum of understanding signed with an initial value of hundreds of millions of USD.
According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, with its potential and economic geographical position within the global supply chain, Vietnam has a great chance to attract and utilise foreign capital inflows to encourage rapid growth and sustainable development.
SaigonTex & SaigonFabric 2024 expo to get underway in Ho Chi Minh City
More than 1,000 foreign and local exhibitors are expected to attend the Vietnam Saigon Textile & Garment Industry Expo (SaigonTex & SaigonFabric 2024), which will run from April 10 to April 13 in Ho Chi Minh City, reported the Voice of Vietnam.
This year's expo brings together exhibitors from 20 countries and territories, including Belgium, China, Germany, Hong Kong (China), India, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Portugal. Portugal, Singapore, and Switzerland.
On display at the event will be an array of machinery, equipment, spare parts, textile materials, and fabric products from several of the world’s leading brands.
The highlight of the expo will be a Product Presentation Program (PPP) which combines static displays and catwalk performances.
The occasion will be organised for the first time as a means of introducing a range of fashionable products, applying the latest technology provided from both Vietnamese and international exhibitors.
Furthermore, there will also be a trade exchange hosted by the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (VITAS) to strengthen connectivity among exhibitors and buyers.
Within the framework of the exhibition, there are to be a number of seminars held to provide participants with experts’ experiences in policy, the circular economy, and green transition in the garment and textile industry./.