2nd time around

Three major cities of Vietnam are distinguished with the annual prestigious awards of Travel & Leisure. The United States-based magazine Travel & Leisure has recently unveiled its 2022 Asia’s Best Awards with suggestions about the best travel destinations around the world. Accordingly, Hanoi, Danang, and Ho Chi Minh City are among the Top Ten “Best Cities in Southeast Asia” Hanoi- the thousand-year-old charming city President Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum in Hanoi. Photo: Cao Anh Tuan Ranked fifth on the list of Travel & Leisure , the charming capital city of Vietnam- Hanoi is a must-see travel destination for foreign travelers to the country. The fact is that the city is very peaceful and very welcoming to foreigners. It has a low crime rate, great tropical weather, and is easy to balance work life and fun, according to Bill Noland, an Aussie digital nomad in Hanoi. “It takes me around VND10 million or $428 for a convenient accommodation … [Read more...] about Hanoi among Top 10 cities in Southeast Asia

The Business Climate Index is the leading indicator of the European business and investment community in Vietnam. European businesses in Vietnam expressed their positiveness about Vietnam’s prospects for green growth, according to the latest Business Climate Index (BCI) released by the European Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) and YouGov Vietnam. CEOs of European businesses gather an event in Ho Chi Minh City last April. Photo: EuroCham According to the BCI, nearly 80% of participants said their assessment of Vietnam’s green development potential improved from the first quarter of this year. About 44% of the respondents have good and excellent outlook regarding the potential for Vietnam’s green and sustainable development. Regarding the link between green growth and foreign-direct investment (FDI), nearly 90% of the respondents believed Vietnam should accelerate green sector development to attract more foreign investment. EuroCham Chairman Alain … [Read more...] about European businesses positive about Vietnam’s prospects for green growth

Chairman of the HCMC People’s Committee Phan Van Mai (R) and Frankfurt Mayor Peter Feldmann at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) Mai said HCMC views Frankfurt as one of the key foreign localities in its external relations. He noted as there remains much potential for bilateral cooperation, the two sides should step up partnerships in trade, investment, information technology, science, environmental protection, and tourism. Meanwhile, Feldmann expressed his hope that in the time ahead, the two cities will further intensify exiting relations and expand cooperation to the areas matching HCMC’s interest and Frankfurt’s strength such as information technology, education, and environmental protection. During their working trip, the Frankfurt delegation will attend the opening ceremony of the city’s representative office in HCMC and an international automotive industry exhibition. They will also visit some German enterprises operating in the southern economic hub of Vietnam. VNA … [Read more...] about HCMC hopes for stronger ties with Germany’s Frankfurt city

The Hanoi Opera House has been selected as a destination for culture and tourism. According to the Ministry’s plan, a 30-minute program and an hour-long program would be performed by actors and actresses at theaters such as Vietnamese Cheo, Vietnamese Tuong, Vietnamese Dance and Music. The Ministry expected that a combination of musical performance and a cultural tourism product with Vietnamese identity will attract more holiday-makers to the country. Moreover, artists can earn extra income and the tourism industry also has more experience products for visitors. After the initial enthusiasm, everything was confused because the performance was not as good as an expectation; hence, travel agencies were not interested in it and the project has been also gradually unsuccessful. After two years of the Covid-19 epidemic, when theaters reopened and the tourism sector revived with more travelers, artists returned to look for opportunities from tourists. However, leaders of the art … [Read more...] about Project of combination on theater and tourism unsuccessful

Around 1 p.m., power went out in Hanoi’s inner districts like Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Nam Tu Liem, Hai Ba Trung, and Hoang Mai. Nghia, manager of an office building in the Cau Giay District, stated that the power was restored after about 30 minutes. However the voltage spiked to more than 240 kilovolts (kV), causing some electrical equipment to be damaged. The damage is being assessed by building management. An employee of a media company in Hai Ba Trung District reported that while eating lunch at the office, power suddenly went out then came back on and then went out again. The loss of power recurred 10-15 minutes, causing many company equipment to be "turned on and off multiple times." Hanoi University of Science and Technology, located in Hai Ba Trung District, had to announce that "the entire school lost power due to a power grid failure in the city. We hope teachers and students understand for this inconvenience." The power was restored around 2:40 p.m., and normal … [Read more...] about Northern Vietnam hit by massive power outages

Thanh Cong Textile Garment - Investment – Trading JSC in Tan Phu District is in need of more than 1,000 workers. The employees are to make up for those that have already submitted their resignation and to serve the company’s plan to expand 20 of its branches in various cities and provinces. Yet the company has had trouble recruiting new employees unwilling to work on assembly lines and deal with the pressure of meeting product quality and quantity. Nguyen Huu Tuan, the firm’s human resource manager, said the textile-garment sector is no longer attractive to laborers. He said "a significant number" of staff at the company has either quit or is about to, without revealing the specific figure. In most cases, those employees switch to work in other industries that can guarantee them higher salaries or move back to their hometown now that the living cost in the city has grown increasingly expensive. "With a monthly income of VND8-9 million ($340-385), workers would not be able … [Read more...] about HCMC short of textiles, footwear labor

According to a scientific brief released by the World Health Organization (WHO) in March, the global prevalence of anxiety and depression significantly increased by 25 per cent in the first year of the pandemic. In pre-pandemic Vietnam, according to the statistics published by the Institute of Mental Health under the Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital, 30 per cent of the population was diagnosed with various mental health issues, while 25 per cent was related to depression and 15 per cent were caused by stress disorders. Despite close to one in three people being aware of their conditions, only a few sought medical attention. From the above statistics, the mental health of a large population has been heavily affected by the pandemic. Tran Thanh Phong, CMO at Prudential Vietnam said, “ We cannot talk about holistic wellness without considering mental health. The pandemic has clearly taken a toll on people’s mental health over the past two years, with uncertainties and anxiety … [Read more...] about Prudential Vietnam launches new AI-powered mental wellness tools

He pointed out that the world situation developed complicatedly over the past time with strategic competitiveness, the conflict in Ukraine, soaring fuel prices, escalating inflation in many countries, and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, among others. The pressure of high inflation, surging commodity prices and disrupted supply chains could be felt in Vietnam, the PM continued. However, under the sound leadership of the Party led by General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, and with the support of the National Assembly and the drastic management of the Government, engagement of ministries, agencies, localities, people and businesses, and the support of international friends, Vietnam has brought the pandemic under control and ensured macro-economic stability and major economic balances. The country has also worked to safeguard its independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity; maintain social security, order and safety; intensify external relations; step up administrative reform and … [Read more...] about Cabinet meeting looks into socio-economic situation

Hanoi, (VNA) - The following is a list of selected news summaries over the weekend by the Vietnam News Agency. – Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered faster administration of the third and fourth doses of COVID-19 vaccine as part of measures against the unpredictable pandemic situation, especially when the sub-variant BA.5 has appeared in Vietnam and raised the risk of a new wave of coronavirus infections. According to the Government Office, to enhance pandemic control and create favourable conditions for socio-economic recovery and development, the Government leader has assigned Deputy PM Vu Duc Dam to continue directing the Ministry of Health, other ministries and sectors, and 63 provincial-level localities to drastically carry out anti-pandemic measures, especially accelerating COVID-19 vaccination. Read full story - National Assembly (NA) Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue's visits to Hungary and the UK from June 26-30 concluded successfully, thus greatly promoting the … [Read more...] about ☀ Morning digest on July 4

Among the Top 10 leading cities in the Southeast Asian region, Vietnam boasts three representatives in the list, including Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City , and Da Nang . Bangkok and Chiang Mai of Thailand were named in the list together with five destinations from different cities and territories. Phu Quoc and Con Dao were named among the Top 10 leading islands in the Southeast Asian region, alongside Phuket of Thailand, Bali of Indonesia, and Palawan of the Philippines. The latest ranking marks the first time that Travel + Leisure has awarded Asia’s Best Awards for destinations, hotels, resorts, restaurants, and bars according to the votes made by readers between January and April this year./. VNA … [Read more...] about Five local destinations win Asia’s Best Awards