Indonesia the only other Asian country on UK travel site’s list.
Vietnam has been listed as one of top 20 most beautiful countries in the world by Rough Guide.
Based on the votes of readers from all over the world on its social media channel, the UK travel site provided the list for travelers to consider when booking their next holiday.
From the impressive rock formations of Ha Long Bay off the northern coast to the terraced rice fields of mountainous Sapa on the Chinese border, Vietnam has a wealth of easily accessible natural beauty, the site wrote.
Its cities are alluring too, whether you prefer the modern skyscrapers of Ho Chi Minh City or the appealing contrast in Hanoi between the old and the new as the country has rebounded with vigor in the 40 or so years since the end of the American War.
Rough Guide also appreciated that direct flights now arrive from cities worldwide, roads are being upgraded, new hotels are springing up, and Vietnam’s raucous entrepreneurial spirit is alive and well, bringing a lively ambiance to the country.
Other countries on the list included the US, Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Iceland, Italy, Switzerland, Croatia, Slovenia, Norway, Finland, Mexico, Peru, India, Indonesia, South Africa, and New Zealand.
Vietnam welcomed some 15.5 million foreign visitors in 2018, up 19.9 per cent against 2017. The number of international tourist arrivals has surged three-fold from 5 million in 2010. It also catered to 80 million domestic travelers last year, generating VND620 trillion ($26.66 billion) in revenue.
Vietnam was ranked the world’s fourth fastest-growing travel destination in the 2018 UN World Tourism Organisation report for its impressive growth in international arrivals over recent years.
Vietnam’s recent economic achievements notwithstanding, much effort is needed for it to close the gap with other countries, a minister has said. Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung said at a conference Wednesday that while Vietnam’s GDP per capita had surged by 27.4 times in the last 30 years to almost $2,590 last year, Malaysia had achieved this figure 20 years ago.
Thailand had done so 15 years ago and Indonesia 10 years ago.
The main limitations of its economy were low labor productivity, economic efficiency and competitiveness, and the country also faced the risk of being stuck in the middle-income trap.
According to the 2018 Vietnam Annual Economic Report, average productivity per worker was VND60.73 million ($2,600) in 2017, lower than that of China, Japan, the Philippines, Thailand, and Cambodia.
Currently the country also faced challenges like the U.S.-China trade war, the minister said.
For these reasons, institutional reforms were necessary to achieve a more sustainable economy, he noted.
Macroeconomic stability and high economic growth with innovation in science and technology were imperative.
The private sector had to remain one of the pillars of the economy in future, Dung said. “If Vietnam doesn’t catch the 4.0 train, the gap between it with other countries will become wider. Vietnam needs to narrow that gap.”
Vietnam’s GDP has grown at 6.8 percent a year on average for the last 20 years, and the economy has grown 39 fold in the period to $245 billion last year.
Growth last year was 7.08 percent, the highest in a decade.
The People’s Court of Hoa Binh province on January 30 announced sentences to seven defendants implicated in a serious medical incident that killed nine patients at the provincial General Hospital on May 29, 2017.
Defendant Bui Manh Quoc, Director of the Tram Anh Water Treatment Co., Ltd received a 54-month jail sentence while Hoang Cong Luong, doctor in the hospital’s Department of Intensive Care was sentenced to 42 months in prison on the charge of “unintentionally causing deaths” in accordance with Clause 2, Article 98 of the Criminal Code 1999.
Defendant Tran Van Son, employee of the hospital’s medical material and equipment division was jailed 42 months, Deputy Director of the hospital and head of the Department of Intensive Care Hoang Dinh Khieu along with head of the division Tran Van Thang 36 months, Director of the hospital Truong Quy Duong and Director of the Thien Son JSC Do Anh Tuan 30 months for “lacking responsibility causing serious consequences” as stipulated in Clause 2, Article 285 of the Criminal Code 1999.
The Hoa Binh General Hospital and Thien Son JSC must compensate nearly 1.7 billion VND and over 728 million VND, respectively to victims.
On May 29, 2017, 18 patients suffered from symptoms of anaphylactic shock like breathing difficulty, sudden blood pressure fall, stomachache and vomiting while receiving kidney dialysis at the kidney dialysis division of the Hoa Binh General Hospital’s Department of Intensive Care. Eight of the patients died in this incident.
According to the indictment of the provincial People’s Procuracy, Quoc directly repaired and maintained the Reverse Osmosis (RO) filter system of dialysis machines.
During the process, however, the machines’ water supply tubes were not purified carefully, leaving chemical residue. After pasteurisation of the RO filter system, Quoc did not check quality of water samples before handing the system over to the hospital.
Son, who was in charge of checking and supervising the replacement and maintenance of the filter system, failed to complete his assigned tasks.
Nephrologist Luong allowed the dialysis treatment to commence without checking water quality.
Thien Son company signed a contract on May 25, 2017 to repair and maintain the RO water filter No.2 used for kidney dialysis at the hospital. However, the firm then sold the contract to Tram Anh Water Treatment Co., Ltd.
Zero Waste Saigon, Starbucks Vietnam, and Keppel Land partner to showcase exhibition in HCMC by artist Von Wong.
“The Parting of the Plastic Sea” art piece in the atrium of the Estella Place retail mall in Ho Chi Minh City’s District 2 is being showcased in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest art installation made from plastic straws, with over 150,000 being used that were collected on streets around Vietnam.
To raise awareness about the impact of plastic waste on the environment and to encourage the public to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics, artist Von Wong, non-profit organization Zero Waste Saigon, Starbucks Vietnam, and leading green developer Keppel Land are partnering to exhibit the art piece.
The piece is created from recovered plastic packaging and straws that were meticulously collected from all over Vietnam with the help of volunteers, including schools like the British International School, the American International School, and the German School, along with local Starbucks partners. With a mission to surprise and educate passers-by, the hope is to give the public a visual representation of the connection between our plastic usage and the dangers it represents to our oceans.
“We are very proud to be part of this project together with our business allies,” said Ms. Patricia Marques, General Manager of Starbucks Vietnam. “Our partners are very excited to participate in building this installation.”
“Keppel Land adopts a proactive and holistic approach towards sustainability,” said Mr. Linson Lim, President of Keppel Land Vietnam. “Through initiatives such as lending support towards ‘The Parting of the Plastic Sea’, we seek to raise awareness about environmental protection and encourage our stakeholders to move away from single-use plastics and join us as we shape a more sustainable future.”
“I believe that each and every person has the ability to positively affect the world with their actions,” artist Von Wong said. “I hope that this installation can become a tool that anyone can use to encourage others to turn down the next straw they are offered. Alone, these straws represent a tragedy, but the #strawpocalypse campaign also represents ‘hope’ of what is possible when people and companies come together to make a difference.”
“Saying no to a plastic straw is a way that each person can have a positive impact on protecting the environment,” said Ms. Julia Mesner, founder of Zero Waste Saigon. “Plastic straws are one of the most useless pieces of waste because they are unnecessary for most people. Our motto is ‘Every action counts’. Making a small action today will lead people to bigger actions that will change the world for the better.”
From January 25 to March 24, members of the public are encouraged to visit Estella Place and share their experience of the installation on social media accompanied by the hashtag #strawpocalypse. They are also encouraged to pledge their support and make a commitment to tell others “No-straw, please”.
According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, there could be more plastic than fish in the sea by weight by the year 2050. Although Vietnam is home to only 1.26 per cent of the world’s population, it is responsible for 6 per cent of the plastic that enters the ocean.
Vietnam is the second cheapest country to retire to this year, according to the Annual Global Retirement Index. The index, published by Ireland’s publication International Living, lists the best retirement havens by scoring countries in 13 categories, including visas and residence, cost of living, entertainment and amenities, healthcare, and business opportunities.
While Vietnam is only ranked 19th among 25 countries in the index, it is the second best in terms of cost of living.
“Vietnam is a fascinating and vibrant destination, rich in natural beauty, steeped in history and brimming with opportunity. Whether you want to live in the heart of the city, nestle among pine-forested mountains, or overlook a sun-washed beach, you’ll find modern, high-quality housing for low prices,” the report said.
Saigon and Hanoi are the most expensive cities in the country, while a life of retirement in other tourism-centric cities like Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang, and Vung Tau will be much easier on the wallet, it suggested.
However, Hanoi and Saigon are still considered some of the cheapest Southeast Asian cities to live in, according to the 2019 Cost of Living Index published by user-contributed database Numbeo.
Vietnam has consistently been ranked as one of the world’s cheapest destinations for travelers for its low living costs. Numbe estimates an expat’s monthly living cost in the country ranges from $700 to $1,400.
Forbes magazine in 2017 ranked Vietnam as one of the cheapest destinations to visit, with affordable luxury resorts, healthy food at cheap prices and beautiful sights.
Vietnam reached a turning point in 2015 when it became one of the countries with the fastest aging populations in the world.
Competitive landscape of major players including Vietinbank, Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam, Vietnam International Bank, Saigon Hanoi Bank, Tien Phong Bank, FE Credit, Home Credit and HD Saison have been extensively covered mentioning company overview, major business strategies, USP, car finance delivered, products and services, market share, strengths, financials and various other parameters. Value chain analysis has been given prime importance covering role & nature of major entities along with mentioning the major vendor selection criteria and pain points. The report also covers future industry analysis (by credit disbursed and by auto loan outstanding), future market segmentation, SWOT analysis, growth opportunities, upcoming business models, government regulations and analyst recommendations. The report is useful for existing auto finance companies, potential entrants, investors and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future.
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Executive Summary
Market Overview: Vietnam auto finance market has witnessed continuous growth since 2013 and has constituted approximately 6% of the overall South Asian auto finance market in 2018. The market compasses similar trends fairly in-line with domestic vehicle sales market, qualitatively & quantitatively with banks and non banking financial institutions being the major operating entities in the space. The market is currently in its growth stage.
Market Size: Vietnam auto finance market has enlarged registering a CAGR ofclose to25% during 2012-2018 in terms of total auto loan disbursed. The market size by number of new automobiles financed has increased at a CAGR of close to 30% (2012-2018) owing to consumer’s preference shift towards cars from motorbikes with mounting purchasing power. This increase can also be attributed to the rise of ride sharing services in the country and improvements in the financial infrastructure. The growth stagnated in 2017 due to customers waiting for the new 0% tax on imported cars which came into effect on January 1st, 2018. Growing consumer confidence index, constant prime lending rates, growing car sales have been the major push factors.
Market Segmentation
By Type of Vehicles: On the basis of credit disbursed for commercial vehicles registered a robust CAGR during 2012-2018. On the basis of auto loan outstanding, passenger vehicle recorded a CAGR above 20% while commercial vehicles experienced a CAGR of above 8%. The continuous increase in demand for passenger vehicles can be attributed to the rising GDP per capita in Vietnam along with improvements in infrastructure, and the growth in social status from the ownership of a car.
By Type of Institutions: By auto loan outstanding,banks & subsidiaries have led the market in 2018with their stable financial structures and high trust factor associated with the provision of their services.A very minimal proportion was captured by NBFIs.Captives and independentconsumer finance companies in Vietnam also form part of this segment.
By Loan Tenure: On the basis of auto loan outstanding, 5 year loan tenure has been the most popular one in 2018. This was followed by 4 year loan tenure and 3 year tenure respectively. Short term loans have been less popular hence 2 year and 1 year loan tenures have comprised of a very small share in the market.
Competitive Analysis
The market is fragmented owing to large number of banking (79) and non banking institutions (27) present in the market. Although banks, subsidiaries and non bank financial institutions have had a dominant market share in 2018, consumer financing companies are expanding rapidly in Vietnam. There are around 16 consumer financing companies generally catering to the low income segment of the population. Prominent entities include Vietnam International Bank, Tien Phong Bank, Saigon Hanoi Bank, Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam and Vietcombank, whereas the major non-banking financial institutions include FE Credit, Home Credit and HD Saison.
Future Analysis and Projections
The credit disbursed in the Vietnam Auto Finance Market is projected to increase at a CAGR close to 26%. The major growth drivers include lower tax on imported vehicles, infrastructural improvement, a rising commercial vehicle segment, new catchment areas, continued dominance of motorbikes and the potential of consumer financing.
Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are expected to continue their dominance with increasing number of population shifting to these regions. VinFast, Vietnam’s first local auto manufacturer is establishing its new automobile & motorbike manufacturing complex in Hai Phong, which is anticipated to expand its economy and expand the market for car financing. Bien Hoa is expected to rapidly grow due to its close proximity to Ho Chi Min City and is experiencing rapid infrastructural improvements and economic growth, which is projected to bring in numerous auto financing companies. The tourism industry in Vietnam is booming and is projected to enhance the economy of coastal cities such as Da Nang and Nha Trang.
Key Segments Covered:-
By Type of Vehicles (Passenger Vehicles and Commercial Vehicles on the basis of Credit Disbursed and Auto Loan Outstanding)
By Type of Institutions (Banks & Subsidiaries and Non Bank Financial Institutes on the Basis of Auto Loan Outstanding)
By Loan Tenure (1 Year, 2 Years, 3 Years, 4 Years, 5 and More years on the basis of Auto Loan Outstanding)
Key Target Audience:-
Existing Auto Finance Companies
Banks & Subsidiaries
Captive Finance Companies
Non Banking Financial Institutions
New Market Entrants
Automobile Financing Companies
Government Organizations
Investors
Automobile Associations
Automobile Original Equipment Manufacturer
Time Period Captured in the Report:-
Financial Year 2013-2018: Historical Period
Financial Year 2019-2023: Future Forecast
Key Target Audience:-
Existing Auto Finance Companies
New market entrants
Government bodies
Investors
Automobile Manufacturers
Automobile Associations
Auto parts Equipment Manufacturer
Companies Cited in the Report:-
Banks & Subsidiaries
Tien Phong Bank
Vietcombank
Agribank
Vietinbank
Shinhan Bank Vietnam
Saigon Hanoi Bank
Techcombank
Bank for Investment and Development of Vietnam
Vietnam international bank
Non-Banking Financial Institutions:-
FE Credit
Cement Finance Joint Stock Company
EVN Finance Joint Stock Company
Handico Finance Joint Stock Company
HD Saison Finance Company
Home Credit Vietnam Finance Company Limited
JACCS International Vietnam Finance Company Limited
Maritime Bank Finance Company Limited
MB Shinsei Finance Limited Liability Company
Mirae Asset Finance Company (Vietnam) Limited
Post and Telecommunication Finance Company Limited
Prudential Vietnam Finance Company Limited
SHBank Finance Company Limited
Technological and Commercial Finance Company Limited
Toyota Financial Services Vietnam Company Limited
Vietnam Shipbuilding Finance Company Limited
Key Topics Covered in the Report:-
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Genesis
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Value Chain
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Ecosystem
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Overview
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Size on the Basis of Credit Disbursed, 2012–2018
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Size on the Basis of Auto Loan Outstanding, 2013–2018
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Growth Drivers & Challenges
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Segmentation by Type of Vehicles (Passenger and Commercial on the basis of Credit disbursed and Auto Loan Outstanding)
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Segmentation by Tenure of Loan (1-5 Years on the basis of Auto Loan Outstanding)
Vietnam Auto Finance Market Segmentation by Type of Institutions (Banks and Non-Banks on the basis of Auto Loan Outstanding)
Government Regulations in Vietnam Auto Finance Market
Strengths and Weaknesses of Major Players in Vietnam Auto Finance Sector
Company Profile of Major Players in Vietnam Auto Finance Sector
Future Outlook and Projections in Vietnam Auto Finance Market (2019-2023)
Growth Opportunities in Vietnam Auto Finance Market
Future Market Segmentation of Vietnam Auto Finance Market
Publicis Groupe just announced the appointment of Luc Mandret as General Manager of MSL in Vietnam, reporting to Lukasz Roszczyc, CEO of Publicis Groupe in Vietnam. Luc Mandret will lead all the operations of the two offices in Hanoi and Ho-Chi-Minh City, and will focus on the development of MSL, the global Public Relations and Integrated Communications agency of Publicis Groupe, and will foster the collaborative ‘Power of One’ model.
Luc started his career as a consultant in the pharma industry, then he moved to work in the media industry, launching newspapers, blogs and online TV channels. He was also a lecturer at the Paris La Sorbonne University. Luc Mandret is a French national and located in South-East Asia for 18 months, bringing with him a decade of experience in consumer and corporate PR: he started his career in the PR industry in 2008 and then joined MSL in 2013 to lead the digital operations of Publicis Consultants, the PR agency of MSL in France.
With MSL and Publicis Consultants, Luc is an adviser of C-level leaders to partner in their digital transformation and their reputation management. He has vast experience with various industries (FMCG, automotive, energy, cosmetics, banking and insurance, etc.) and a strong expertise from corporate and crisis communication to influencer management and experiential marketing.
Lukasz Roszczyc, CEO of Publicis Groupe in Vietnam, said, “We are further fueling momentum of MSL Vietnam by investing and bringing new expertise to the market. With Luc’s progressive experience in online influence, we will be pioneering new solutions and strengthening our Public Relations specialization to help our clients’ grow. Through the ‘Power of One’ model of Publicis Groupe and strong end-to-end integration, we are aiming to double MSL’s scale both in HCMC and Hanoi. Importantly, Luc is bringing global MSL thought leadership within growing sectors of Vietnam’s economy, and we will work together to inspire Vietnamese and MNC businesses to transform and be future ready.”
Guillaume Herbette, CEO of MSL: “I am delighted to welcome Luc Mandret back to the MSL global network. Luc’s commitment to be at the forefront of digital innovation, especially in the area of influence aligns with some of the most exciting areas of development in our global network. We look forward to his strong leadership and growth of our business in Vietnam”
On his appointment, Luc Mandret shares: “I am very excited to join such a great team, I will bring my experience in both public relations and digital influence, and I will advise our clients to develop the best influence strategy. With all our expertise in media relations, in event and activations, in social media and digital, in influencer marketing, and both consumer and corporate PR, we definitely are the best partner for brands. My priority is to be the best partner of our clients, and offer them impactful services”.
H’Hen Nie has been named among the Top 5 finalists of the Timeless Beauty award by Missosology and becomes the only Vietnamese representative to make it through into the award’s final stage.
Two Vietnamese beauties, Phuong Khanh Minh Tu and Tieu Vy, had previously been named among the original list. However, they were later disqualified.
Rounding off the Top 5 list are Ma Ahtisa, Miss International Philippines Manalo, Telma Madeira, Miss Earth Portugal, Tamaryn Green, Miss Universe South Africa, and Mariem Velazco, Miss International Venezuela.
This year, a panel of judges came together to select candidates from the 112 beauties who competed across the five major beauty contests including Miss Universe, Miss World, Miss Earth, Miss International, and Miss Supranational in 2018.
The beauties were judged based on a range of criteria, including their beauty, timeless appeal, their overall performance in one of the ‘Big 5’ pageants, and finally their global impact. Their average score from across the criteria was then calculated.
The Timeless Beauty award has been held annually since 2010. In the award’s history, the pageant has had a total of eight winners including Venus Raj of the Philippines in 2010, Olesia Stefanko of Ukraine in 2011, Irene Esser from Venezuela in 2012, Marine Lorphelin of France in 2013, Paulina Vega from Colombia in 2014, Edymar Martinez of Venezuela in 2015, Catriona Gray from the Philippines in 2016, and most recently, Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters of South Africa in 2017.
Air pollution in Hanoi has become worse in the past few days.
As of 3.30 pm on January 27, the air quality at 10 monitoring stations of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment stayed at orange alert which is unhealthy for sensitive people.
Since the air quality index is from 100 to 200, sensitive groups should reduce prolonged exertion. If the index is from 201 to 300, the general public is also advised to avoid prolonged exertion.
The index at the station on Pham Van Dong Street was 240. It was 238 on Hang Dau Street and 201 in Tan Mai Ward, Hoang Mai District. The best quality index measured was 177 in Tay Mo Commune, Nam Tu Liem District.
Previous reports show that Hanoi often has one or two days with hazardous level quality every year. On average, January 25 is the day with worst air quality.
Hoang Duong Tung, chairman of Vietnam Clean Air Partnership, said the fine particulate matter level in Hanoi also increased sharply and it was worrisome. Fine particulate matter is mostly made up of sulphate and nitrate particles. It can penetrate the respiratory system and cause cancer. Meanwhile, regular masks can hardly provide any protection against fine particulate matter.
According to Tung, the surge in the number of vehicles as Tet nears is one of the reasons or worsening air quality. The temperature inversion may be the other cause. The layer of cool air at the surface is overlain by a layer of warmer air and pollutants are trapped.
Tung said the wind direction, temperature, humidity in the past days had caused the phenomenon and citizens should follow the reports about air quality.
During a review meeting held by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Hanoi Chairman Nguyen Duc Chung had raised concerns over worsening air quality. He blamed the traffic and the huge amount of on-going constructions in the city.
Hanoi and HCM City are considering prohibiting motorbikes from entering inner city areas.
An official of the Hanoi Transport Department has confirmed that from 2019 the department will begin to restrict personal vehicles in the inner city before a complete ban is imposed. In the immediate time, the restriction will occur in areas where public transport could be used.
Later, along with an improved bus system and upgraded roads, Hanoi hopes to ban motorbikes in circulation by 2030.
The official said that the transport department only wants to restrict the operation of motorbikes, but doesn’t want to limit ownership of vehicles. This is in line with the Law on Road Transport.
Meanwhile, HCM City has been moving ahead with its project on strengthening public passenger transport and control of personal vehicles.
Under the project, motorbikes would be banned in some central districts of the city (1, 3, 5 and 10) in 2025-2030. The municipal authorities are also considering solutions to control the parking of cars in central areas by collecting fees during rush hours.
Nguyen Xuan Thuy, who has been carrying out research on urban transport for 40 years, said Hanoi’s plan was unacceptable. He said that motorbikes are not the major culprit that causes traffic jams and pollution.
There are 45 million motorbikes and 4 million cars in Vietnam, according to the Ministry of Transport (MOT).
“Motorbikes are not the means of transport that causes traffic jams. The problem lies is the high number of cars, which account for large road surfaces,” he said. “So, it is a blunder to ban motorbikes to ease traffic congestion.”
With small roads and underdeveloped public means of transport, prohibiting motorbikes will not be feasible, he said.
Analysts also think the ban will face strong opposition from Hanoians and HCM City residents. They said that Hanoi and HCM City are polluted because of industrial production, coal-fired thermal power plants located near the cities, and construction activities.
A report of the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Environment (MONRE) showed that air quality in Hanoi has become worse recently, with air quality index (AQI), the daily indicator of air quality, measurements ranging from 78 to 178.
Scientists estimated that the damages caused by air pollution to Vietnam in 2013 were up to $10 billion, and the death toll from air pollution is four times higher than traffic accidents.
Supermarkets in Vietnam are offering services via mobile applications with many discounts and promotions during the busy shopping season of Tet, or the Lunar New Year holiday that is only a week away.
The retail chains’ catching up with the digital shopping trend not only brings convenience to customers but also helps them avoid wasting time queuing for checkouts at the brick-and-mortar outlets.
The weeks before Tet, which begins on February 2, is normally a nationwide shopping spree, with supermarkets packed with buyers and cashier desks flooded with people standing next to fully-loaded shopping carts.
Some supermarkets have thus developed mobile apps that allow consumers to stay at home and enjoy shopping with multiple payment options and free delivery at their chosen time.
The items available for purchase on these platforms include not only fashion and household appliances but also fresh and frozen foods, and Tet treats.
Vietnam’s leading supermarket chain Co.opmart, for instance, has taken advantange of the QR (quick response) scanning code technology to help its customers shop anytime, anywhere with their mobile devices.
Customers only need to use their smartphones to scan the QR codes on Co.opmart’s shopping brochures, webpages and advertisements at bus stations to select the items they want to buy.
The supermarket chain has so far issued some 600,000 shopping brochures with QR codes, according to marketing manager Do Quoc Huy.
Foreign players such as South Korea’s Lotte Mart and Japanese Aeon Mall also have their own online shopping apps to meet Vietnamese consumers’ need.
Another leading retailer from South Korea, Emart, is listing nearly one-third of its products, equivalent to 9,000 out of more than 30,000 items available at the chain’s physical locations, on its mobile app, according to marketing manager Le Huu Tinh.
Retailers that allow customers to shop online offer numerous promotions and discounts to encourage purchases as well.
For instance, Emart offers discounts of ten to 20 percent on Tet gift hampers bought via the app, and price reductions between 30 and 40 percent for drinks purchased online.
Thanks to these attractive offers, fresh products such as fruits and vegetables have understandably become the best-selling category on the Emart app, followed by beverages including beer, milk, and soft drinks, Tinh said.
The marketing manager added these are impressive results, given the fact that Vietnamese consumers normally buy these products offline.
As these customers are all loyal members of Emart, they may already know about the product quality, so it does not matter whether they shop via the app or at the stores, he said.
While the mobile apps help shoppers avoid queuing at checkout counters during the peak shopping days of the Tet holiday, they also allow retailers to reduce crowding at their locations and enable them to have better goods management.
According to a director of a large supermarket chain, retailers have to invest more in facilities and human resources, especially in customer care, to offer better online sales to customers.
“When a supermarket has a clear set of standards on its goods quality and adequately follow it, it is not necessary [for consumers] to go to the place of purchase,” the director said.
A 32-year-old woman from Nghe An is being investigated for luring pregnant women to China for selling their newborns. Moong Thi Oanh faces charges of “organizing and/or coercing other persons to flee abroad,” a crime punishable by up to 20 years in jail under Vietnam’s Penal Code. She is now pregnant and has been placed under house arrest.
Preliminary investigations show that Oanh is married to a Chinese man and has lived in China for many years. Last year, she returned to Vietnam and persuaded four heavily pregnant women (around eight months) in Ky Son District to cross over the border into China to sell their newborns to unknown traffickers for VND40 million to VND80 million ($1,725 to 3,451) each.
Last September, as her husband was driving the group of women to China, the car overturned. One of the four women died on the spot and three others suffered injuries and were hospitalized for treatment.
Nghe An Police and Blue Dragon, a Hanoi-based non profit organization working with street children and trafficking victims, organized a rescue operation and successfully brought the injured victims home last Saturday.
Police said they are expanding their investigation into trafficking of newborns to China.
Nghe An, around 300 km (190 miles) south of Hanoi, has been a hotbed for human trafficking, which has shown no sign of slowing down in recent years. The province reported at least 27 pregnant women traveling to China to sell their babies last year.
China, the most populous country, suffers from one of the worst gender imbalance rates in the world due to the one-child policy and illicit abortion of female fetuses by parents wanting male heirs.
This has led to rising kidnapping, tricking and trafficking of Vietnamese women and baby girls, and now, babies.
Besides financial difficulties of the victims, experts have highlighted negligence, poor education, weak law enforcement and gender imbalance in destination countries as major factors driving human trafficking.
The massive import of cheap cars did not occur in 2018 as predicted, but sales in 2018 were still satisfactory, especially domestically sold cars.
According to the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers Association (VAMA), its member companies sold 288,683 cars in 2018, an increase of 5.8 percent over 2017.
Hyundai Thanh Cong, which is not a VAMA member, sold 63,526 cars, an increase of 103 percent.
Automobile assemblers had a successful year in 2018. Hyundai Thanh Cong doubled its sales. VAMA members assembled 215,704 cars, up by 10.6 percent compared with 2017.
Among the 10 best selling models, Toyota Vios had the most impressive sales, with 27,188 cars sold, followed by Hyundai Grand i10 with 22,068 cars sold.
Due to the modest imports, nine out of 10 bestsellers were assembled in Vietnam.
Bios, Grand i10 and Innova were among the bestsellers. Accent was fifth in the list of best sellers.
The upgraded version of Accent was launched in Vietnam last April, with 12,537 cars sold, exceeding Honda City, its direct rival in B-size sedan segment. Other domestically assembled such as Hyundai Kona and Mitsubishi Outlander also sold well.
Unlike domestically assembled cars, imports had a bad year. Decree 116 with barriers on VTA certificate led to a 6.2 percent drop in car imports to 72,979.
Vietnamese consumers thought if importers could satisfy the strict requirements stipulated in Decree 116, they would be able to buy cars at reasonable prices. But this did not happen in 2018. Predictions about import car prices change regularly.
Decree 116, released on October 17, 2017, stipulates the conditions for production, assembly, import and business of automobile warranty and maintenance services.
Of the 10 bestsellers in 2018, Honda CR-V was the only import, while Toyota Fortuner and Ford Ranger, familiar names, were not on the list of bestsellers.
More imports arrived in the last months of 2018, when importers could satisfy Vietnam’s requirements on procedures. In December, 14,000 products were imported, raising the total imports to 81,000.
Regarding market share, the three top positions still belonged to familiar names – Truong Hai, Toyota and Hyundai Thanh Cong.
Truong Hai, with Kia, Thaco Bus, Thaco Truck, Mazda, Peugeot and BMW brands, holds 27.3 percent of market share. Toyota is second with 18.7 percent, and Hyundai Thanh Cong 18 percent.
Big changes in the car market are expected in 2019, when more cars from VinFast, a Vietnamese brand, will hit the market.
Two sign strategic partnership to bring more value to customers using the GrabFood service when ordering McDonald’s.
Grab Vietnam has a strategic cooperation agreement with McDonald’s Vietnam to provide more exciting experiences and incentives as well as bring more value to customers when using the GrabFood service.
Grab users will receive special offers when ordering McDonald’s dishes on the GrabFood platform. With an average delivery time of just 25 minutes and a team of well-trained drivers, GrabFood commits that McDonald’s orders will be delivered to customers quickly and at a cheaper cost.
Grab’s Platinum members will also receive a 10 per cent discount on the total McDonald’s bill when exchanging five GrabRewards points.
Grab and McDonald’s Vietnam will exploit more utilities from the strategic partnership. Some programs exchanged by the two parties, such as using GrabExpress’s partner team, will help McDonald’s save costs and resources in transport.
The cooperation will also help Grab and McDonald’s attract more customers through taking advantage of a number of McDonald’s systems to become pick-up / drop-off locations and provide parking for Grab driver partners.
Grab and McDonald’s Vietnam have had other short-term cooperation activities, such as McDonald’s sponsoring International Women’s Day celebrations organized by Grab to congratulate female driver partners and female staff working at Grab, who received free McDonald’s coupons.
Southeast Asia’s leading O2O mobile platform, Grab officially launched its on-demand food delivery service, GrabFood, on October 2 in Hanoi, while in Ho Chi Minh City it was beta tested on May 10 and officially launched in June.
The launch not only marks an important milestone in Grab’s journey towards becoming the leading everyday super app that offers Vietnamese and Southeast Asian consumers the most essential daily services, but also reaffirms its commitment to long-term investment in Vietnam as a tech company.
The world’s leading fast-food retailer, McDonald’s, arrived in Vietnam in 2014 with a developmental licensee, a franchising model that is used in many markets around the world to grow the McDonald’s brand. After more than three years in Ho Chi Minh City, McDonald’s then opened its first restaurant in Hanoi, at 2 Hang Bai Street.
The McDonald’s chain in the country has been recording growth of nearly 40 per cent each year and now has 17 restaurants. The locations selected for its expansion are strategically located in the CBDs of Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, where there are a large number of potential customers.
Despite losing 1-0 to Japan in the quarter-final of the AFC Asian Cup on Thursday, Việt Nam’s national squad have received applause from the international media for their performance.
Both Reuters and AFP said Japan only beat Việt Nam thanks to the video assistant referee (VAR).
Reuters said Japan only survived a late onslaught from the Vietnamese with Nguyễn Công Phượng in particular missing an opportunity to equalise in the 89th minute when he found himself unmarked just outside the box but blasted over.
The World Game of Australia said Japan were lucky to reach the semi-finals thanks to VAR.
“Japan benefitted from a contentious VAR penalty decision on the system’s AFC Asian Cup debut as a 1-0 win over Việt Nam proved enough to see Hajime Moriyasu’s men reach the semi-finals,” said theworldgame.sbs.com.au.
Fox Sports Asia praised the efforts of the Việt Nam team. It said: “Many, fans and pundits like, thought the four-time champions Japan had too much quality for the Golden Dragons. But 60-year-old Park Hang-seo proved in the first 45 minutes that when you have a group of willing workers like the Việt Nam national team, any top-quality opposition can be given a hard time. It was all Việt Nam in the early exchanges with the Southeast Asian champions giving Japan some real scares in Dubai.”
“Their fairytale run into the quarter-finals of the AFC Asian Cup 2019 might be over, but for Việt Nam, the only way is forward. After reaching the final of the AFC U-23 Championship 2018, semi-finals of the Asian Games 2018 and winning the AFF Suzuki Cup 2018 last year, the Golden Dragons have now shown the world that they can compete among the elite of the sport. With age on their side, it looks like the future is for them to own. If Park can continue working his magic with this group of players, they will be a force to reckon with in Asian football in the decade to come. Well done Việt Nam for making the whole of ASEAN proud!” the website added.
Sportskeeda said that Việt Nam only made the knockout stage as the final, fourth-best third-place team from the group stage and knocked out Jordan in a penalty shootout in the round of 16, but they created many difficulties for Japan.
Siam Sport of Thailand said coach Park’s team are one of best eight teams in Asia.
