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| Vietnam looks to attract 17-18 million international visitors this year (Photo: baotintuc.vn) |
The ministry made the statement at its quarterly press conference held on October 3.
In the first eight months, the country welcomed 312,000 Indian visitors, shooting up 263% from a year earlier, placing India eighth among Vietnam’s top 10 sources of international tourists, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT).
To capitalise on the expected surge in Indian tourists, the ministry and VNAT have developed a strategy to boost tourism promotion in the world's most populous market. Notably, in October, the VNAT will collaborate with travel agencies and localities to organise a large-scale promotional campaign in India.
Between January and August, Vietnam welcomed over 11.4 million international visitors, up 45.8% year-on-year. The number of domestic tourists reached some 89.5 million. Meanwhile, the eight-month tourism revenue approximated 586.1 trillion VND (23.67 billion USD).
The country currently houses more than 4,140 companies supplying international travel services and over 39,149 licensed tour guides. Additionally, there are 269 five-star hotels with more than 87,300 rooms nationwide.
In the fourth quarter, the ministry is set to implement plans and measures to accelerate the recovery and sustainable development of the sector. Upcoming events include the 2024 Vietnam tourism awards ceremony, a national food festival in Dien Bien province, a Vietnamese tourism booth at the World Travel Market London in the UK, and a Vietnam-Taiwan (China) tourism cooperation conference.
Vietnam ESG Initiative 2024 winners announced
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| Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) |
The Vietnam ESG Initiative 2024 was awarded at a ceremony held in Ho Chi Minh City on October 3, honouring businesses with outstanding initiatives to adopt environmental, social, and governance (ESG) standards, reported Vietnam News Agency.
Amid intensive international economic integration, Vietnamese companies are facing enourmous challenges in meeting stringent sustainability requirements from investors, partners, international markets, and consumers. The green transition trend is thriving worldwide, demanding businesses focus on not only profitability but also ESG factors.
The Vietnam ESG Initiative, launched by the Agency for Enterprise Development under the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI) with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID), aims to boost Vietnamese businesses' competitiveness and help them adopt sustainable practices. The 2024 edition, themed “Seizing Green Transformation Opportunities”, is the second so far.
At the event, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment Tran Quoc Phuong emphasised the inevitable trend of sustainable development, highlighting the need for Vietnamese enterprises to innovate to catch up with this trend and remain competitive, or miss chances to deeply engage in global value chains.
As the advisory body about socio-economic and enterprise development for the Government, the MPS has made active moves, including implementing a programme on supporting private firms to secure business sustainability in the 2022 - 2025 period. This programe has helped improve awareness of business sustainability and ESG for nearly 3,400 businesses, with 400 companies receiving in-depth ESG training. Besides, tools for assessing sustainable business and ESG practices were built and published online free of charge.
Launched in January, the Vietnam ESG Initiative 2024 attracted a large number of businesses with various green transition and sustainability initiatives. Ten shortlisted companies received intensive training and advice from the USAID Improving Private Sector Competitiveness (IPSC) project to perfect their plans, and then presented their ideas in front of the jury.
Three companies were awarded for their outstanding ESG implementation plans, namely Ecoka, Saigon Secoin, and Shinec. Additionally, EMIC Hospitality received a special recognition for its efforts in sustainable tourism.
The winners will receive technical support valued at 2 billion VND (81,000 USD) to implement their ESG initiatives.
The event also introduced ESG tools and a handbook on legal regulations on ESG, helping businesses align with sustainability standards and legal requirements to enhance their competitiveness and readiness for global market requirements.
Budget revenue from import-export activities up 13.5%
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| The state budget revenue from import-export activities tops 306 trillion VND during the first nine months of 2024, up 13.5% year on year (Photo: VNA) |
State budget revenue from import-export activities in the first nine months of 2024 reached more than 306 trillion VND (12.4 billion USD), accounting for 81.7% of the set target and increasing 13.5% from the same period last year, Vietnam News Agency quoted figures of the General Department of Vietnam Customs (GDVC).
The country’s total import and export value hit nearly 579 billion USD, up 16.3% year-on-year. Exports were valued at nearly 300 billion USD, marking a 15.4% annual rise, while imports totalled 279 billion USD, up 17.3%, resulting in a trade surplus of 20.8 billion USD.
For 2024, the National Assembly has assigned the GDVC to collect 375 trillion VND for the state coffer, with 204 trillion VND expected from import-export activities.
The general department plans to continue reforming customs policies and procedures to ensure effective management, prevent trade fraud, and better perform the tasks of safeguarding national sovereignty and ensuring economic security.
It noted that smuggling and illegal cross-border goods transport remain complex, with a rise in cases showing criminal signs. In the third quarter of 2024, the number of cases investigated by customs authorities increased by 25% year-on-year, and the number of cases transferred to other competent agencies for investigation rose by 50%.
Hanoi establishes high-tech biological park
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| Illustrative image (Photo: baochinhphu.vn) |
Deputy Prime Minister Bui Thanh Son recently signed a Prime Ministerial Decision on the establishment of the Hanoi High-Tech Biological Park, reported Vietnam News Agency.
Covering approximately 200 hectares, the park is located in Tay Tuu, Lien Mac, Minh Khai, Thuy Phuong, and Co Nhue 2 wards in Bac Tu Liem district.
Managed by the municipal People’s Committee, it will engage in high-tech activities aligned with international trends and Vietnam’s hi-tech development policies, with priority given to biotechnology.
The municipal People’s Committee is tasked with coordinating with the Ministry of Science and Technology to outline operation regulations for the park, which will be submitted to the Prime Minister for approval.
Vietnam earns over 7 billion USD from fishery exports in nine months
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| Vietnam earned over 7 billion USD from fishery exports in the first nine months of 2024, up 8.5% from a year earlier. (Photo: VNA) |
Vietnam’s fishery exports reached 866 million USD in September, bringing the total for the first nine months of 2024 to 7.16 billion USD, a year-on-year increase of 8.5%, Vietnam News Agency quoted figures of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP).
After years of disruption due to COVID-19, conflicts, and inflation, global markets are stabilising, allowing Vietnam’s fishery exports to regain momentum, especially in the second half of the year.
In the third quarter alone, fishery exports hit 2.76 billion USD, a nearly 13% increase compared to the same period last year. Key products saw significant growth, with tra fish shipments up 13.5%, shrimp 17.5%, crab 56%, and shelled mollusks 95%.
Shrimp remains the top foreign currency earner, approximating 2.8 billion USD in the first nine months, a 10.5% increase. While frozen shrimp exports face competition from Ecuador and India, processed shrimp maintains a strong market position. Overseas shipments of processed whiteleg shrimp grew by nearly 10%, while frozen whiteleg shrimp rose 4.5%.
Tra fish brought home 1.46 billion USD during January - September, an 8% rise year-on-year, with processed products surging 42%. Tuna exports, while strong earlier in the year, have slowed since August due to raw material shortages, but still increased 16% to reach 715 million USD in nine months.
Crab exports have seen exceptional growth, by 56% in the third quarter and 66% over nine months, primarily driven by demand from China.
VASEP forecasts that the total export value of fishery products for 2024 will hit 9.5 billion USD, a 7% increase from 2023. Shrimp exports are expected to reach nearly 4 billion USD, tra fish 2 billion USD, tuna close to 1 billion USD, and squid and octopus about 640 million USD./.