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| Vietnam’s crab exports to China in five months soar by 502% (Photo: VOV) |
Statistics indicate that crab exports have seen constant growth since the beginning of the year, with export turnover surging by 76% to more than US$97 million.
China and Hong Kong (China) remain the largest import markets of Vietnamese crabs and other crustaceans, accounting for 42% of the total export turnover.
Most notably, crab and other crustacean exports to the highly lucrative market in May escalated by 418% on-year to nearly US$11 million.
Meanwhile, crab exports to the Japanese market have endured a downward trend over the past two months. The country’s exports to the demanding market in May dropped by 9% to more than US$6 million.
However, thanks to robust growth seen in the first quarter of the year, exports to this market during the five-month period edged up by 7% to nearly US$29 million.
Elsewhere, exports to the United States and Canada have been growing positively with respective rises of 32% and 54%. In contrast, crab exports to the EU plunged by 58% compared to the same period from last year.
According to experts, the “yellow card” that the European Commission (EC) imposed on Vietnamese seafood regarding illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing continued to impact Vietnamese seafood exports to this market.
Quang Tri airport project to commence construction in early July
The Quang Tri airport project, with an initial outlay of 5.8 trillion VND (227 million USD), will be kicked off on July 6 by a joint venture between T&T Group and CIENCO 4, according to Radio the Voice of Vietnam.
The project, approved by the Prime Minister under the public-private partnership model, will be located in the communes of Gio Quang, Gio Hai, and Gio Mai in Gio Linh district, covering an area of 265 ha.
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| The visual model of the Quang Trị Airport (Photo: vietnamfinance.vn) |
The project is expected to take 50 years to complete, including 24 months for preparation and construction and 47 years and 2 months for operation and toll collection to recoup investment.
Upon completion, the airport will meet the standards of a Class 4C airport defined by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and a Level II military airport, capable of handling Code E aircraft and serving about 5 million passengers and 25,500 tonnes of cargo annually.
It will address the ever-growing demand for air travel, foster economic growth, and ensure high mobility for military operations and disaster relief efforts in the Central Region.
The project is expected to be completed and operational by July 2026.
Vietnamese tourism promoted in Germany
The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) in coordination with the Vietnamese Consulate General in Frankfurt city of Germany have organised a programme to promote Vietnam as a friendly, attractive and safe destination to key European markets in general and Germany in particular, said the Vietnam News Agency.
It offered an opportunity for Vietnamese and German travel firms to share experience and step up exchanges.
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| Vietnam National Authority of Tourism General Director Nguyen Trung Khanh speaks at the event (Photo: VNA) |
VNAT General Director Nguyen Trung Khanh said both sides boast significant potential to complement each other in cooperation and development, especially in tourism.
He also highlighted Vietnam's potential and advantages to further develop its unique tourism products, noting agriculture and community-based tourism, traditional craft villages, cultural festivals, and cuisines from the Southeast Asian nation are favoured by foreign tourists.
Many Vietnamese tourist destinations and products have been ranked among the world's best by reputable travel websites such as the World Travel Awards, TripAdvisor, Telegraph, and major media outlets, he said.
Germany is one of Vietnam's traditional and major markets in Europe, Khanh said, adding 200,000 German tourists visited the Southeast Asian nation last year, equivalent to 88% of the pre-COVID-19 level, making it the third largest source of tourists to Vietnam in the European Union (EU).
Over recent years, the two tourism sectors have engaged in many cooperative activities, notably the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Hue Tourism College and the FU Education Group of Germany in June 2023 regarding high-quality vocational training, the exchange of experts and lecturers, and the organisation of German language courses.
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| An art performance at the event (Photo: VTV) |
The launch of direct flights between Hanoi/ Ho Chi Minh City and Munich operated by national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines also creates more favourable conditions for German tourists to visit Vietnam.
Vietnam's tourism industry has conducted activities in Germany to boost tourism exchanges between the two countries. Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Government has waived visas for German visitors since 2015, and extended the temporary stay for them to 45 days starting from August 15, 2023.
Vietnam among cheapest countries to retire around the world
Vietnam has been named among the top eighth cheapest countries to retire in around the world due to the comfortable lifestyle on offer, Radio the Voice of Vietnam quoted the information of the magazine Travel+Leisure of the United States.
The country ranked sixth in the list.
Travel+Leisure shared that Vietnam boasts a very affordable cost of living, especially for adventurous retirees who appreciate its various beaches, wide array of scenery, delicious food, history, and rich culture.
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| Vietnam is among cheapest countries to retire around the world. (Photo: Irjaliina Paavonpera /Travel+Leisure) |
It noted that the overall cost stands at about 59% lower compared to the US, whilst rents are about 79% lower depending on the location.
“In Ho Chi Minh City, home to a large expat community, the cost of living is 70% or so lower than in New York, and housing is about 87% lower,” says the magazine.
Travel+Leisure also stressed that high-quality healthcare is very affordable, with both public and private systems on offer. Most expats carry international health insurance and take advantage of private hospitals.
Rounding off the list were global destinations such as Mexico, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Portugal, Panama, Montenegro, and Colombia./.