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| Vietnamese grapefruit exports rise sharply. (Photo: VOV) |
Statistics indicate that along with durian, grapefruit was also the fruit recording the highest export growth in the reviewed period with turnover reaching US$29.6 million, representing a rise of 144% against the same period from last year and witnessing the strongest increase over the past five years.
Dang Phuc Nguyen, general secretary of the Fruit and Vegetable Association, said that previously, Vietnamese grapefruit was only exported to the EU or the Middle East markets.
However, thanks to signing an official export protocol to the US and New Zealand, grapefruit exports have experienced sudden growth from the end of last year until now. Furthermore, many countries favour Vietnamese green-skinned pomelo due to its superior quality.
Sharing this perspective, Nguyen Dinh Tung, general director of Vina T&T Import-Export Company, revealed that Vietnamese pomelos in the US market typically face fierce competition from Chinese and Mexican rivals.
At present, Chinese pomelos are sold at only US$2 per kilo, while Vietnamese grapefruit is traded at US$9 per kilo, representing a 4.5–fold rise with US consumers placing a bulk orders.
Tung pointed out that Vietnamese grapefruit entering the US market face a number of challenges in terms of price and preservation compared to Chinese products.
He advised businesses to create the highest quality products possible as these demanding markets have paid close attention to product quality and consumers' health.
According to US regulations, growing areas and processing facilities for Vietnamese fresh grapefruit must be registered with the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Services (APHIS) before being exported to the US market.
Late last year, fresh grapefruit officially become the nation’s seventh fruit to enter the US market after mango, longan, lychee, dragon fruit, rambutan, and star apple. Similarly, this fruit was also officially exported to New Zealand from December, 2022.
According to the Plant Protection Department, Vietnamese fresh grapefruit has been exported to 12 countries and territories around the world.
Vietnamese visitors to Japan surge 16.9%
Since the beginning of the year, Vietnamese visitor arrivals to Japan increased by 16.9% compared to the same period in 2019 and promise to soon reach or exceed the level of the whole year 2019, before COVID-19, said the Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO) in Vietnam.
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| Autumn in Japan always attracts tourists. (Photo: hanoimoi.vn) |
According to JNTO, Vietnamese tourists to Japan numbered 439,600, up 12.2 compared to the same period of 2019 and up over 39% over the same period of 2022.
Currently, according to surveys of travel agencies, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Japan is increasing as the tourist season opens. At this time, the climate in Japan is cool, visitors can not only explore tourist attractions but also participate in many attractive activities and festivals such as: Kunchi Festival, Takayama Festival and Autumn Festival at Toshogu Shrine.
After COVID-19, Japan is applying many policies to stimulate tourism demand. For the Vietnamese market, Japan intensifies promotional activities and introduces new products.
On November 8, JNTO will hold a "Japan Incentive Tourism Conference" in Hanoi to connect tourism units of the two countries. This type of tourism plays an increasingly important and focused role in the tourism industry.
The program is expected to be attended by accommodation establishments, transportation units, and destinations from many Japanese provinces and Vietnamese travel companies, promising to bring many opportunities in the field of reward tourism between the two sides.
Newly registered FDI enjoys increase in both projects and capital
Foreign direct investment (FDI) into Vietnam since the beginning of the year has reached over 25.76 billion USD, up nearly 15% over the same period last year. Notably, newly registered capital increased sharply, both in number of projects and capital, however, additional capital decreased.
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| As many as 1,051 projects registered an additional capital of 5.33 billion USD in the first 10 months of the year. (Photo: VNA) |
According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment’s Foreign Investment Agency, as of October 20, over 15.29 billion USD was channeled into 2,608 new foreign direct investment (FDI) projects, respectively up 54% and 66.1% year on year,
As many as 1,051 projects registered an additional capital of 5.33 billion USD, up 19.4% in number of projects and down 39% in capital compared to the same period last year. In spite of reduction in investment capital, the number of projects with adjusted capital maintained a significant increase.
There were 2,836 transactions of capital contribution and share purchases by foreign investors, down 5.4% year on year, the total value of contributed capital reached more than 5.13 billion USD, up 35.4%.
Regarding investment partners, in the 10 months, 108 countries and territories poured investment in Vietnam. Singapore took the lead with nearly 4.65 billion USD, making up 18% of the total capital in Vietnam; followed by the Republic of Korea with nearly 3.93 billion USD, and Hong Kong (China) with some 3.54 billion USD.
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| Photo for illustration. (Source: VNA) |
China topped the number of projects, accounting for 21.7% of the total, while the Republic of Korea took the lead in increased capital (25.7%), contributed capital and share purchases (28/2%).
Asian investors still dominated FDI flows into Vietnam during the period, with Singapore, China, Japan, the RoK, Hong Kong and Taiwan accounting for up to 81.7% of the total value.
Of the 55 provinces and cities recording FDI inflows, Quang Ninh attracted the most capital with nearly 3.09 billion USD, accounting for nearly 12% and increasing 41.3% from a year earlier. Hai Phong city stood second with over 2.8 billion USD, accounting for 10.9% and surging 2.14-fold, followed by Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Bac Giang province.
Two cruise ships carry 1,200 foreign tourists to Quang Ninh
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| The Viking Orion arrives in Ha Long (Photo: VNA) |
Two cruise ships carrying foreign tourists to Ha Long city of the northern province of Quang Ninh arrived at Hon Gai international port on October 27 morning, according to VOV News.
Specifically, 900 tourists from Europe and the US travelled to Ha Long on board German-flagged Viking Orion ship. They are scheduled to visit the UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, Hanoi capital city, and Ninh Binh province before coming back to the ship and leaving the port on October 28 afternoon.
Meanwhile, Bahamas’s Silver Muse ship brought 300 European tourists to Ha Long where they will tour Ha Long Bay and Cai Bau pagoda, and leave the city in the evening of the same day.
Also on October 27, leaders of the provincial Department of Tourism welcomed a famtrip delegation from India. The delegation, including representatives from travel agencies, is aiming to build tours bringing Indian tourists to Quang Ninh.
Deputy head of the department Nguyen Huyen Anh said that India is a new and potential market for Quang Ninh’s tourism. In the coming time, the province continues to invite experts to train locals on the Islamic culture to better serve visitors from this market./.