Illustrative image (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam’s visa policy should be more open to lure international tourists , insiders have said. Although the country has offered unilateral visa exemption and e-visas, the policy is not competitive enough as the 15-day visa exemption has yet to satisfy the need of visitors from such markets as Europe, North America and Australia, who often stay from three to four weeks in Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Culture , Sports and Tourism (MCST). Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said the ministry should propose the Government instruct the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to expand the list of countries and territories qualified for visa exemption and e-visa, and restore visa granting at border gates. She also suggested simplifying visa procedures for visitors who get infected with COVID-19 during their stay in Vietnam and undergo treatment in the Southeast Asian nation. The … [Read more...] about Relaxing visa policy to attract more foreign tourists: insiders
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Vietnam detects highly-infectious BA.2.74 Omicron sub-variant
Health workers perform COVID-19 testing. (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has detected a number of new, highly-contagious Omicron sub-variants, including BA.2.74, said the General Department of Preventive Medicine on August 17. The department also corrected its August 15 report which mistakenly mentioned BA.2.75 among sub-variants circulating in Vietnam. It is BA.2.74, not BA.2.74 , it said in the latest statement, adding that the first case of BA.2.74 was reported in the Hanoi-based Bach Mai Hospital on August 8. Other Omicron sub-variants found in the country are BA.4, BA.5, and BA.2.12.1, according to the department. The Ministry of Health (MoH) has warned of a spike in the number of new COVID-19 infections as well as critical cases. Over the past week, Vietnam has recorded an average of 2,000 new COVID-19 cases each day. More than 100 seriously ill COVID-19 patients are being treated at hospitals. The General Department of Preventive Medicine has … [Read more...] about Vietnam detects highly-infectious BA.2.74 Omicron sub-variant
Indonesia eyes GDP growth of 5.3% next year
Indonesia President Joko Widodo. (Photo: AP) Jakarta (VNA) – The Government of Indonesia has set its economic growth target at 5.3% next year, President Joko Widodo said in his 2023 State budget speech during the plenary meeting of the House of Representatives earlier this week. The government will continue to redouble efforts to ensure the sustainability of the national economic recovery, and to push for consistent production expansion to create as many job opportunities as possible, he said. He also stressed that new sources of growth must be realised without delay. In keeping with this, the implementation of various structural reform agendas has continued to be accelerated for bringing about economic transformation. Investment must be stimulated, while the competitiveness of national manufacturing products in the global market must be improved, the President said. He further noted that the private sector has increasingly become more robust as an engine for … [Read more...] about Indonesia eyes GDP growth of 5.3% next year
Vietnam’s Quy Nhon City embraces stunning landscapes and cultural, historical values
Quy Nhon, a coastal city in the south-central Vietnamese province of Binh Dinh, has emerged as a new hotspot for vacationers thanks to its countless stunning tourist attractions. Quy Nhon has two seasons – rainy and dry – and each offers visitors a unique perspective on the city. The rainy season in Quy Nhon typically begins in September and lasts until February, while the dry season begins in March and ends in September. When visiting Quy Nhon during the dry season, visitors should bring sunscreen, medications, and appropriate clothing. They should also make sure to stay hydrated because the weather is often scorching hot, though such high temperatures are occasionally mitigated by the ocean breeze. Vehicles travel against a background of wind turbines in Quy Nhon City, Binh Dinh Province, south-central Vietnam. Photo courtesy of Lo Huu Duc Anh Quy Nhon has a unique terrain flanked by mountains on one side and a long, curved, white-sand beach on the other. … [Read more...] about Vietnam’s Quy Nhon City embraces stunning landscapes and cultural, historical values
Luxury sneakers may be a step too far for cash-strapped Gen Z
SHANGHAI/PARIS -- From $300 bucket hats to $900 sneakers and $700 t-shirts, the high-flying luxury sector is fretting over the appetite among financially stretched Gen Z consumers for such "aspirational" purchases. Executives are troubled in particular by a hit to young Chinese shoppers, not only because mainland China has been a major driver of the industry's growth in recent years, but also because high end consumers in the world's second-largest economy are a decade younger than the global average of 38. Young adults around the world have been "a very strong factor of luxury growth over the past decade," said Gregory Boutte, chief client and digital officer at Gucci-owner Kering. Data this week showed China's economy slowed unexpectedly, prompting a central bank rate cut, while macroeconomic trends are disproportionately impacting the extra funds that those born between 1996 and 2012 might use to enter the world of luxury. Whereas in North America and Europe, inflation and … [Read more...] about Luxury sneakers may be a step too far for cash-strapped Gen Z
