2019 International Travel Expo – Ho Chi Minh City (Photo courtesy of the organising board) HCM City (VNA) – The 16th International Travel Expo – Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2022) will feature a variety of events at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in District 7 from September 8 – 10, after a two-year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic. ITE HCMC, the largest and most established travel event in the Mekong Delta region, will be held under the theme of “Growing Forward Together” as part of the efforts to revive inbound tourism. The hybrid event will feature more than 200 exhibitors, including airlines, hotels and resorts, tour operators, foreign travel promotion agencies, and enterprises from 45 Vietnamese cities and provinces. It also expects to attract 150 international buyers who are leaders of travel companies and MICE organisers from major markets, such as Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan, the Republic of Korea, the US, Australia, and New Zealand. … [Read more...] about International Travel Expo – HCM City returns with various events
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Vietnam Airlines to join Int’l Travel Expo in HCM City
National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will participate in the 16th Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Expo (ITE HCMC 2022) in September. (Photo: Organiser) Hanoi (VNA) – National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines will participate in the 16th Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Expo ( ITE HCMC 2022 ) held at Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) from September 8 – 10 to stimulate domestic and international air travel. Returning after a two-year lull due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event will provide an opportunity for Vietnam Airlines to meet with foreign tourism promotion agencies and seek new partners in a bid to create new high-quality products to boost socio-economic recovery in the city and Vietnam at large, a Vietnam Airlines representative said. At the event, the carrier will offer various deals, including a 20% reduction in air tickets for all services from HCM City and 19% off Giftcard purchases. There will be a lucky draw with thousands of … [Read more...] about Vietnam Airlines to join Int’l Travel Expo in HCM City
Germany state conditions to accept Vietnam’s new passport
The decision, announced on the German Embassy’s website, takes immediate effect, but will only apply for "a transitional period" with the expectation that Vietnam will soon take necessary measures to add the place of birth to all passports. "This decision was made to facilitate convenient and safe travel between Vietnam and Germany," said the statement. The German Embassy also said the issuance of long-term residence visas will be paused until a new decision is made. The Vietnamese Embassy in Germany said on Monday that the German Foreign Ministry would issue a visa for a new model passport of Vietnam that has included place of birth. Earlier, Germany, Spain, Finland and the Czech Republic rejected the new Vietnamese passport because it does not show the place of birth of the holder. Spain requires new passport holders to submit a valid ID to prove their place of birth. The US also required people who are preparing to apply for a visa to ask the authorities to add information … [Read more...] about Germany state conditions to accept Vietnam’s new passport
40 Vietnamese arrested at border after fleeing forced labour in Cambodia
The group of Vietnamese who escaped Cambodia . (Photo courtesy of An Giang Border Guard) An Giang (VNA) - Forty Vietnamese nationals were arrested by An Giang Border Guards on August 18 morning after illegally entering Vietnam from Cambodia. According to their testimony, a total of 42 people tried to escape from a casino in Sampeou Poun commune, Kaoh Thom district, Kandal province in Cambodia and swam across Binh Ghi River to return to Vietnam. They said they had previously fled to Cambodia to work at a casino. Their job was to make online games and go to social media websites at the instruction of the people at the casino but they were constantly forced to work overtime without any payment. According to Major Le Ngoc Tuan from Long Binh Border Guard Station, the group comprised 35 men and five women, whose identities have not been verified. Some have sustained minor injuries. One person is missing and another 16-year-old male from Kon Tum province was caught by … [Read more...] about 40 Vietnamese arrested at border after fleeing forced labour in Cambodia
Thailand to extend maximum stays for tourists
Tourists at the Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand (Photo: AFP/VNA) Bangkok (VNA) – The Tourism Authority of Thailand will propose the Centre for COVID-19 Situation Administration on August 19 to extend the maximum stays for holders of tourist visas and visas on arrival to encourage them to stay longer in the country. TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn said that the authority would propose tourist visas be valid for 45 days instead of 30 days and visas on arrival for 30 days instead of 15 days and the measure should continue until December 31, 2022. According to him, TAT will also propose to end the requirement for visitors arriving by land from Laos and Malaysia to fill in the TM6 immigration form to facilitate their visits and prevent crowding at immigration checkpoints. The country has welcomed nearly 5 million visitors so far this year, basically meeting the government’s target of 5-10 million visitors for the whole year. Most visitors came from Malaysia, … [Read more...] about Thailand to extend maximum stays for tourists
Vietnam attends APEC’s 11th Tourism Ministerial Meeting
In his opening remarks, Thai Minister of Tourism and Sports Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn stated that the COVID-19 pandemic has had severe and long-term impact on the global tourism industry. As the host of APEC 2022, Thailand has an ambition to promote future tourism policy recommendations via this meeting and related working groups, towards paving the way for the future of tourism across the Asia-Pacific region, igniting the enthusiasm of all APEC member economies to pursue a strong, balanced, secure, safe, sustainable and inclusive growth as outlined in the APEC Vision Putrajaya 2040, he said. The meeting focused on holistic approach strategies to develop and promote tourism by taking into account all potential impacts on the local environment, culture and lifestyle. Participants discussed key strategies that can be applied to promote post-COVID-19 recovery of travel industry; how APEC economies can work together to contribute to and support the recovery; the role of tourism in … [Read more...] about Vietnam attends APEC’s 11th Tourism Ministerial Meeting
Pandemic-hit travel firms enjoy loans with preferential interest rates
Travel businesses and banks sign loan contracts with a preferential interest rate. The event attracted 18 banks and more than 100 tourist companies that discussed about policies for supporting businesses affected by Covid-19. It was a chance for banks to join hands with the municipal government to implement recovery solutions to resume economic, tourism, and service activities under guidance on "Safe adaptation, flexibility, and effective control of the Covid-19 pandemic”. Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Tourism Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu said that after five months of the reopening of tourism in the new normal state, the country’s tourism has gained important achievements. However, the sector is still facing difficulties in approaching loan capital, especially travel firms. The Tourism Department of HCMC has proposed commercial banks consider flexible and diversified loaning mechanisms, unsecured loans based on tourism businesses’ efficient operations; cooperation for … [Read more...] about Pandemic-hit travel firms enjoy loans with preferential interest rates
11 Vietnamese scientists named for world research
All rated Vietnamese scientists are working at universities, including Vietnam National University and Ton Duc Thang University. A group of 11 Vietnamese scientists was rated by Research.com, the number one research portal for scientists, in six fields namely Engineering and Technology, Computer Science, Environmental Science, Materials Science, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and Medicine. The ranking is based on D-index (Discipline H-index) which includes papers and citation values for an examined discipline in contrast to General H-index accounting for publications across all disciplines. The ranking covers 24 fields of research contributed by more than 166,000 selected scientists worldwide. Nine Vietnamese scientists named for their influential research: From left above: Nguyen Van Tuan, Nguyen Thoi Trung, Tu Binh Minh, Nguyen Dinh Duc, Nguyen Van Hieu, Le Hoang Son, Pham Hung Viet, Nguyen Xuan Hung, and Thai Hoang Chien. Rated … [Read more...] about 11 Vietnamese scientists named for world research
Rice exports up but prices down in seven months
Despite a hike on export turnover, the average export price drops 9.6% in the first seven months of 2022. Illustration. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam exported roughly 4.08 million tonnes of rice in the first seven months of 2022 to earn over 1.99 billion USD, up 17.3% and 6%, respectively, against the same period last year, customs data shows. Despite a hike on export turnover, the average export price dropped 9.6% during the period to 488.9 USD per tonne. It is likely that rice prices will not increase in the coming time as a result of low demand and abundant supply from major exporters. Generally, the market is currently weak, with low purchasing power, said Nguyen Van Don, Director of Viet Hung Co., Ltd, a food exporter based in the Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang. Since the start of this year, Vietnam mostly exported to the Philippines while shipments to China declined significantly. Exports to other markets, though stable, remained small, he … [Read more...] about Rice exports up but prices down in seven months
Ho Chi Minh City’s foreign enclaves settle into ‘new normal’
Since Vietnam officially declared the COVID-19 pandemic under control earlier this year, foreign enclaves in Ho Chi Minh City have, once again, begun to bustle, with old stores resuming their operations and new shops opening every day in commercial spaces that sat unoccupied for months on end. Once Vietnam dropped its on-arrival COVID-19 testing requirement for foreign travelers and reopened its international air routes in mid-May, the number of foreigners entering the country began to increase, paving the way for foreign enclaves in Ho Chi Minh City to return to their pre-pandemic life. In Tan Phong Ward, District 7, home to a significant portion of the South Korean community in Ho Chi Minh City, many stores that shut down between late 2020 and early 2022 are once again open for business, and new shops are moving into commercial spaces that have sat empty for months. Kim Yong Min, a South Korean national living in District 7, shared that his eyeglasses stores, which mainly … [Read more...] about Ho Chi Minh City’s foreign enclaves settle into ‘new normal’