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| The beauty of natural landscape in Vietnam (Photo: Tran Tuan Viet) |
Over 575,000 readers of the New York-based magazine participated in the survey, sharing insights on various travel experiences, including cities, islands, hotels, resorts, cruise ships, spas, and airlines.
Vietnam is rated as a culturally diverse destination. The Southeast Asian nation scored 89 out of 100 points, ranking 15th in the list.
According to Conde Nast Traveler, Vietnam’s charming rusticity means it is high on the list of gap-year adventurers each year.
An increasing number of international tourists are choosing to explore the "hidden gems" of the S-shaped country, to experience traditional cultural identities, and its diverse natural landscapes.
The country welcomed 12.7 million international tourists in the first nine months of 2024, representing a year-on-year surge of 43%. Last year, Vietnam served 12.6 million foreign travelers.
This figure increases each year, as travelers choose to explore the country’s secrets and experience the towns and cultures, which mass tourism has yet to encroach on.
The country has also won an array of prestigious awards at the 31st World Travel Awards (WTA) 2024, including the “Asia's Leading Destination” for the sixth time.
Condé Nast Traveler said Vietnam is no longer just a noteworthy destination, it is now a must-visit country.
Japan was ranked the best country in the world for the second consecutive year, followed by Portugal and Turkey. Italy and Spain rounded out the top five, with New Zealand, Iceland, and Greece completing the top 10.
Vietnam rises four places in economic freedom ranking
Vietnam is 99th out of the 165 countries in the Economic Freedom of the World ranking by Canada’s Fraser Institute, up four places from last year, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
The institute has released its annual report with 2022 data. The rankings measure the degree to which the policies and institutions of countries are supportive of economic freedom, considering five metrics: size of government, legal system and property rights, sound money, freedom to trade internationally, and regulation.
Vietnam's scores and rankings improved continuously in the three consecutive years of 2020, 2021, and 2022. However, that was the time when the whole world had to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, so many countries have applied measures that significantly affected the economic freedom of their people.
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Vietnam rises four places in economic freedom ranking (Photo: VNA)
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In ASEAN, Singapore ranked second, Malaysia 29th, Philippines 59th, Indonesia 59th, and Thailand 65th.
In addition to Vietnam, four other ASEAN countries also have their rankings improved, namely Cambodia (up four places), Indonesia (two), Malaysia (14), and Philippines (nine).
In East Asia, Japan ranked 11th (up four places), followed by Taiwan (China) (19th, down eight places), and the Korea of Republic (32nd, up 13 places). China is ranked 104th, lower than Vietnam, but also up three places.
First batches of Vietnam’s fresh coconuts enter China
The first batches of fresh coconuts from Vietnam have arrived in China via land border gates between the two countries, the Vietnam News Agency reported.
On October 15, a refrigerated truck carrying 2,700 fresh coconuts of Vietnam cleared customs at the Hekou border gate of China’s Yunnan province, which is adjacent to the Lao Cai border gate of Vietnam’s Lao Cai province.
The produce, totalling 21.6 tonnes and 110,000 CNY (about 15,000 USD), hailed from the Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre.
The same day, another batch was delivered to the neighbouring market via the Youyi Guan border gate of Pingxiang city, China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. Also coming from Ben Tre, it weighed 22.4 tonnes and was worth 98,000 CNY.
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| Workers of the Mekong Fruit Co. Ltd in Huu Dinh commune of Chau Thanh district, Ben Tre province, package fresh coconuts for export to China. (Photo: VNA) |
Vietnam’s fresh coconuts were licensed to be exported via the official channel to China in August.
During the first nine months of 2024, the Hekou customs unit handled the import of 734,000 tonnes of Vietnamese fruits worth 8.11 billion CNY, respectively rising 26.9% and 143.5% year on year, statistics show.
Meanwhile, since the Regional Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (RCEP) took effect on January 1, 2022, Vietnam has seen four more fruits licensed to enter China via the Youyi Guan border gate, namely durian, banana, water melon, and coconut.
The successful export of Vietnam’s fresh coconuts is the latest evidence of efforts to promote the shipment of high-quality farm produce to China and further intensify bilateral trade ties, helping carry out the joint statement on the two countries’ relations.
Hoa Phat exports new-generation refrigerators to US
Hoa Phat Group has announced that its subsidiary Hoa Phat Refrigeration Company exported the first batch of Double Inverter two-door top-freezer refrigerators, with a capacity of 286 liters, to the US, said the Vietnam News Agency.
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Hoa Phat Refrigeration Company's first batch of Double Inverter two-door top-freezer refrigerators
exported to the US. (Photo: hoaphat.com.vn) |
The model is part of Hoa Phat’s new generation products, which has passed a series of rigorous tests before being officially distributed in the US market.
It meets stringent standards, opening up great opportunities for Hoa Phat to assert its position and tap into the potential of this market in the future.
According to evaluations from distribution partners in the US, the product can maintain stable electrical load capacity even under overload conditions.
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| Products are strictly checked before export (Photo: VNA) |
After 23 years of development, the company has established a solid manufacturing foundation, continuously innovating and applying modern technologies and a stringent quality control process. The successful export of its new-generation refrigerators to the US has affirmed the quality and competitiveness of "Made in Vietnam" products in the international market.
It has so far exported freezer and refrigerator products to the US, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Japan. It aims to conquer more international markets in the future, further expanding the Vietnamese brand’s footprint on the global map./.