Photo for illustration (Source: VGP)
This information was released by Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai during the launch of the Vietnam National Brand Week 2022 held on April 20 in Hanoi with a view to calling for support by overseas Vietnamese (OV) entrepreneurs to promote local goods and brands.
According to the Voice of Vietnam, the country is currently one of the 10 economies boasting the largest market openness in the world, with the ratio of import-export to GDP witnessing a constant increase over the years.
This marks a considerable stepping stone for Vietnamese businesses as they strive to improve their competitiveness in terms of the global rankings, Deputy Minister Hai said. Indeed, he went on to acknowledge that through support from the national brand programme, many enterprises have become aware of the importance of brands as a means of increasing their product and business value.
Proof of this can be seen by many Vietnamese brands resonating in both regional and international markets.
According to a report produced by Brand Finance, among the Top 50 most valuable brands in the nation, the number of enterprises with products that achieved National Brand status has grown annually from 28% in 2018 to 34% in 2021.
Most notably, in terms of the Top 10 largest value brands in the country, the number of firms with products of National Brands has increased sharply, from 20% in 2018 to 60% in 2021.
These positive results can be put down to the great contributions made by the 5.3 million Vietnamese people residing abroad, especially entrepreneurs working in over 100 countries and territories to promote the nation’s trade, products, and brands.
Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Pham Quang Hieu said that the role of overseas businessmen is currently not only limited to financial sources for the country in the form of annual investment and remittances, but also promoting international integration. This can be seen in connection activities between domestic and foreign enterprises between Vietnamese firms and those from many countries in different regions across the globe.
Although overseas Vietnamese's distribution and promotion facilities for local products remain limited, they have widely covered many countries and territories, thereby promoting Vietnamese products to international partners and offering plenty of room for overseas Vietnamese co-operation domestically.
Deputy Minister Hieu praised OV entrepreneurs for allowing both domestic agencies and businesses to gain a deeper insight into laws and consumers’ taste in other countries. He added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will push ahead with economic diplomacy and seek closer co-ordination with the Ministry of Industry and Trade, localities, and agencies as a means of bolstering the export of Vietnamese products which are more widely known within the global market.
HCM City to display fireworks to mark Reunification Day
Ho Chi Minh City is set to hold several firework displays across the city between 9 p.m. and 9:15 p.m. on April 30 in celebration of 47 years since National Reunification Day.
The celebrations are due to take place above the Thu Thiem tunnel running across the Saigon River in Thu Duc City, as well as Dam Sen Cultural Park in District 11, reported the Voice of Vietnam.
Photo for illustration (Source: baochinhphu.vn)
Furthermore, a wide range of cultural events will get underway to mark the occasion, including a photo exhibition to commemorate 47 years of the National Reunification Day (April 30, 1975-April 30, 2022) and the 136th International Labour Day (May 1, 1886-May 1, 2022), an incense offering ceremony at the statue of President Ho Chi Minh, and a number of art performances.
During the COVID-19 outbreak in 2021, Ho Chi Minh City was forced to cancel firework shows for the New Year, Lunar New Year, and National Reunification Day celebrations in order to limit gatherings.
This year the country will celebrate a four-day national holiday from April 30 to May 3, with this occasion marking the resumption of firework displays in Ho Chi Minh City after two years of disruption caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Vietnam to become second largest digital economy in Southeast Asia in 2025: experts
Vietnam can become the second largest digital economy in Southeast Asia in 2025, while the country’s e-commerce market will draw more large-scale businesses, forecast experts at an online seminar in Ho Chi Minh City on April 20.
Photo for illustration (Source: vietnambiz.vn)
They also said that online businesses will involve more economic sectors and more big players in the time to come, according to the Vietnam News Agency.
Do Huu Hung, General Director of AccessTrade, held that e-commerce should be the first step, followed by logistics and delivery services to win stronger confidence among consumers and improve their shopping experience.
Hung said that with better logistics and delivery services, the digital economy can make up 50-60 percent of the Vietnamese economy in the future.
The years of 2020 and 2021 can be described as a special period with unprecedented changes under impacts of COVID-19, where online business in Vietnam enjoyed a breakthrough growth in both domestic and foreign markets.
According to the “E-Commerce White Book 2020”, the global revenue from B2C e-commerce activities is likely to rise by 1.5 times in the 2019-2023 period from 1.94 trillion USD to over 2.88 trillion USD. The book also predicted that Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, will see high growth.
Phan Binh, Director of J&T Express Vietnam, said that businesses do not need giant shops but high quality products which will be delivered to customers through suitable services.
Currently, many foreign firms have sought business opportunities in the potential market of Vietnam with the motto of "Think Global, Act Local". Meanwhile, online business activities have drawn a large number of companies, cooperatives, business households and individuals in both rural and urban areas.
Experts advised enterprises operating online business to seek seek supports in consultations and solutions to develop one-stop-shop model.
They also underlined the need for wider coverage of delivery services to meet the demand of the booming e-commerce sector.
Da Nang presents free SIM cards to foreign visitors
International tourists to Da Nang will be presented with Vinaphone 4G data SIM cards upon arrival at the airport as part of the central city’s “Enjoy Danang” programme that aims to offer 50,000 free SIM cards to foreign visitors from April to June.
International tourists to Da Nang are presented SIM cards (Photo: VNA)
With each free SIM card, visitors will have 2GB data and 1,000 minutes for 30 days, said the Vietnam News Agency.
Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Director of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Agency, said the gift aims to leave a good first impression on foreign tourists at the start of their visits.
Pieter Balkenende, a tourist from the Netherlands, said the gift was a nice surprise which would be helpful during his first week-long trip in the central tourist destination.
On April 20, 150 passengers arriving in the city via Singapore Airlines and Vietjet Air flights were the first to receive the free SIM cards.
On March 27, the Da Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation Joint Stock Company and the city’s Department of Tourism held an event to welcome the resumption of international flights to the city, which marked the reopening of the international terminal at Da Nang International Airport.
VNPT staff guides visitors how to use the sim card (Photo: VNA)
Since then, the airport has welcomed 29 international flights with 2,560 passengers. In the time to come, the airport expects 41 flights per week from Singapore, Japan, Thailand and Malaysia./.