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Vietnam Passport Drops in Rankings

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According to the newly released Henley Passport Index, the Vietnamese passport ranks 90th, down three places from its previous position at 87.

Vietnam’s passport index continues to fall in the global rankings. Photo: Linh Huynh.

This shift reflects regional trends and adjustments in visa policies among Southeast Asian countries as they compete to attract international tourists amid changes in global travel dynamics.

The Henley Passport Index, established in 2005 by Henley & Partners, a global residence and citizenship advisory firm based in London, measures passport strength by the number of destinations passport holders can visit without a prior visa, updated quarterly.

In the latest update, the Vietnamese passport now allows visa-free access to 51 out of 227 global destinations, marking a slight decrease from the previous ranking in July, when Vietnamese passport holders had visa-free or visa-on-arrival access to 55 destinations.

Despite the drop, Vietnam’s passport still ranks above Laos (92nd) and Myanmar (93rd) within Southeast Asia.

Leading the global ranking is Singapore, whose passport remains the strongest worldwide, offering visa-free access to 195 destinations. Singapore’s top ranking reflects the country’s extensive diplomatic relations and strategic international agreements, granting its exceptional citizens global mobility and demonstrating Singapore’s significant influence on the world stage.

Following Singapore in the region is Malaysia, with visa-free access to 183 destinations, ranking second in Southeast Asia.

Brunei holds the third position in Southeast Asia, with access to 166 destinations without a visa. Thailand’s passport ranks fourth in Southeast Asia, allowing visa-free entry to 82 destinations—a position that reflects the country’s ongoing efforts to expand travel options for its citizens.

Countries in the Southeast Asian region are competing to attract tourists through visa policies, Vietnam needs more moves to increase its appeal. Photo: Linh Huynh.

Vietnam’s recent ranking shift underscores the competitive landscape of tourism and visa policy in Southeast Asia. Countries in the region have been actively working to enhance their visa-free policies to attract international tourists. Several Southeast Asian nations are implementing measures to draw visitors, revive tourism, and ease visa requirements.

Recently, Vietnam has expanded its list of visa-exempt countries to attract more foreign tourists. In 2023, Vietnam introduced a new e-visa policy, allowing tourists from numerous countries to apply online for a 90-day multiple-entry visa. This initiative has been welcomed by the tourism sector, positioning Vietnam as a competitive regional destination.

Likewise, Thailand has extended visa-free entry for certain nationalities to encourage longer stays. Malaysia and Singapore continue to leverage relaxed visa policies to attract high volumes of tourists worldwide, supporting economic growth and job creation in related sectors.

Despite Vietnam’s passport ranking declining, the country’s ongoing efforts to simplify visa issuance for visitors may eventually lead to stronger correspondence agreements and enhance global mobility for Vietnamese travelers.

At the lower end of the rankings, Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen have the world’s least powerful passports, often reflecting nations facing political instability, economic challenges, or strained diplomatic relations.

The Henley Passport Index serves as a valuable benchmark for governments, businesses, and travelers by providing insights into global travel freedom. Updated Quarterly, the index reflects changes in visa policies and international agreements.

For travelers and businesses in the tourism industry, these rankings provide essential insights into travel accessibility, considering decisions in destination marketing, investment, and international partnerships.

@Znews

Bitcoin Set for $6K-$8K Seesaw as U.S. Election Enters Final Stretch: Analyst

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While volatility is price-agnostic, recent flows in the options market suggest bullish expectations.

Crypto traders awaiting a surge in bitcoin (BTC) price volatility may soon have it their way as derivatives experts suggest the impending U.S. presidential election could trigger price swings matching the dramatic movements of early August.

“I expect a +1.5-Sigma ($6,000 to $8,000 price range) as a result of the post-election price reaction,” Greg Magadini, director of derivatives at crypto data tracking platform Amberdata, told CoinDesk.

The projection is based on the annualized forward volatility of 112% derived from the Nov. 6 options trading on Deribit, which suggests a price fluctuation of $4,000 in either direction. A positive 1.5-sigma of that translates to a price swing in the range of $6,000 to $8,000.

Bitcoin last saw a similar price swing in early August when the unwinding of the so-called risk-on yen carry traders led to broad-based risk aversion, sending BTC down to $50,000.

Magadini assumes 1.5-sigma volatility because the latest reports show Republican candidate Donald Trump, perceived to be crypto-friendly, and his rival Democrat Kamala Harris are locked in a tight race in seven swing states.

The 50-50 odds indicate that an eventual outcome is unlikely to surprise markets, irrespective of who wins, implying a low probability of a positive 3-sigma move (three standard deviations from the mean in a normal distribution) looks unlikely. A positive 3-sigma move indicates an extreme event.

Similarly, a sub negative 1-sigma move or minimal price action looks doubtful, as 50-50 odds mean traders won’t be able to price the election outcome in advance. The election is due Tuesday, with results expected on Friday.

Recall that volatility is bi-directional, meaning expected price swings could happen in either direction. That said, options traders have been preparing for bullish volatility, purchasing calls at $70,000, $85,000, and $90,000 strikes on Deribit and the Chicago Mercantile Exchange. (A $8,000 surge from BTC going market rate of $68,800 would mean new record highs.)

As such, call options are trading pricier than puts in terms of volatility in a sign of bullish sentiment, according to Joshua Lim, co-founder of crypto derivatives trading firm and liquidity provider Arbelos Markets.

“Bitcoin call options are repricing higher, even while spot price ticks lower this weekend due to surprisingly weak polls for Trump,” Lim said.

Lim added that the volatility curve is pricing a 7%-8% move around critical events of the week, mainly Thursday’s Fed rate decision and the expected U.S. election outcome on Friday.

DEX traders see greater volatility in ETH

Ether (ETH), the native token of Ethereum’s blockchain and the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency by market value, has historically been more volatile than BTC. That’s unlikely to change with the U.S. election.

According to onchain options listed on decentralized exchange Derive, there is a 68% chance of ETH chalking out a 9.35% to 10.19% price swing, with BTC expected to see volatility ranging between 8.97% to 9.85%. A 10% volatility in ETH means a $247 move at the going market rate of $2,470, and a 10% move in BTC implies a $6,800 swing.

DEX traders are anticipating bullish volatility as well. As of Sunday, the total call option open interest stood at 1,179 contracts versus 885 open put option contracts, a sign of bullish inclination.
“As the election nears, these figures are crucial for traders looking to navigate the heightened uncertainty in the crypto markets. It’s a pivotal moment for onchain options trading, demonstrating the sophisticated strategies traders are employing to hedge against or capitalize on expected volatility,” Nick Forster, founder of Derive, told CoinDesk.

Singapore Pushes for Commercialization of Tokenization

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The regulator has seen strong interest in tokenization among the fixed income, FX and asset management sectors.

The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) will introduce new measures to advance tokenization in financial services.

The regulator said it will form commercial networks to deepen liquidity of tokenized assets, developing an ecosystem of market infrastructures, fostering industry frameworks for tokenized asset implementation and enabling access to common settlement facilities for tokenized assets.

“MAS has seen strong interest in asset tokenization in recent years, notably in fixed income, FX, and asset management. We are encouraged by the keen participation from financial institutions and fellow policymakers to co-create industry standards and risk management frameworks to facilitate commercial deployment of tokenized capital markets products, and scale tokenized markets on an industry wide basis,” said Leong Sing Chiong, deputy managing director (Markets and Development) of MAS.

Its crypto industry group, Project Guardian also published two frameworks on acceptance and implementation of tokenized assets by financial institutions. Project Guardian includes 40 financial institutions, industry associations and international policymakers across seven jurisdictions.

The Guardian Fixed Income Framework will provide guidelines on implementing tokenization in debt capital markets, strengthen capabilities and catalyze adoption of tokenized fixed income solutions.

Meanwhile, the Guardian Funds Framework will provide recommendations for industry best practices for tokenized funds, including provisions to develop tokenized investment vehicles comprising multiple assets.

Personalizing Your Retail Offerings: How to Stand Out with Custom Products from Vietnam

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In a changing retail landscape, personalization is becoming extremely central to the strategies that brands can utilize to augment their competitive advantage. Amid this culture revolution, consumers prefer products that reflect their unique self.

The growing need for personalized retail is supported further by statistics; while only 50% of the consumers had perceived brands to construct personalized experiences for the customers to date, personalized retail actively influences consumer purchase decisions.

In Vietnam, affordability, expertise in craftsmanship, and diversity in customization options fit right into the conversations around personalization of retail.

Vietnam’s Competitive Advantage in Customization

Vietnam is fast becoming a prime choice for sourcing personalized products, thanks to its clear cost, quality, and variety advantages. More than 1,500 craft villages across the country have some distinct artisanal techniques like ceramics, textiles, and wood.

The diversity of craftsmanship makes for an ocean of customization choices, revealing a rich cultural heritage through Vietnam’s products, allowing retailers to create both unique and culturally relevant products.

Affordability and Cost-Effectiveness

Vietnam offers a significant cost advantage for retailers. With wages for finished product manufacturing less than half those of China, quality, and handcrafted made pieces may come at a significantly cheaper price. For these reasons, individual and customized options can bring too little to bear on the final price, allowing businesses to maintain profit margins while catering to consumer demand for specialty products.

Diversity in Craftsmanship

Skilled Vietnamese artisans provide a wide array of customization possibilities. From Bat Trang ceramics to textiles from Hoi An, it is these distinct regions that offer various products, blending traditional techniques with modern sensibilities. By leveraging this craftsmanship, retailers can provide customers with unique products that tell a story, further enhancing their appeal.

Flexibility in Customization: Methods and Techniques

Here are several of the more common forms of personalization methods available:

Embroidery

Embroidery refers to an extensive hand-crafting option that uses needle, thread, and other decorative design materials to embellish textiles. This ancient craft is rarely left untouched by skilled artisans in Vietnam to create splendid designs which may include logos, names, or custom graphics that significantly enhance the product’s perceived value. It fits nicely onto apparel, home goods, and accessories, thus being a flexible option for personalization.

Custom Printing

Varied techniques of printing including screen and digital printing are offered by Vietnamese manufacturers. These techniques are most appropriate for personalizing T-shirts, tote bags, and ceramics. For durability and intensity of colors, screen printing works wonders, while digital printing offers fine multicolored designs making it just right for modern graphic-heavy products.

Engraving Techniques

The more known of the methods in Vietnam is laser engraving. This process has a high precision for wood, metal, and glass and is predominantly used in items such as jewelry, kitchenware, and home decor. Laser engraving takes details very slight, just in time for the personalized gifts and keepsakes that make lifelong impressions and thus increase the sentimental value of the product

How to Collaborate with Vietnamese Suppliers for Personalization

Building a strong relationship with Vietnamese suppliers is crucial for successful custom product sourcing. Consider these best practices:

Establish Clear Expectations: Define upfront what the product will look like, detailing the customizations, and providing the quality standards for it, to avoid ambiguity later on.
Leverage Low MOQs: For Vietnamese suppliers, especially for the SMEs, many of them won’t mind going ahead with low minimum order quantities (MOQs) to try their new designs with the least amount of risk possible
Build Trust: Keeping in touch via in-house meetings or virtual meetings plays a vital role in developing trust in oneself and their project goals.
Negotiate Terms and Timelines: Discuss any payment terms, production schedules, and delivery timelines in detail to avoid big delays and even bigger unexpected costs.

Doing this could streamline the sourcing process and cultivate successful partnerships advantageous to both retailers and Vietnamese artisans.

Challenges in Personalizing Products and How to Overcome Them

While personalized products offer numerous benefits, there are potential challenges to consider. Here’s how to address them:

Quality Control: Customization can lead to discrepancies in product quality. Minimize this through setting in place a quality assurance process, requesting samples, and having inspections at a regular interval.
Turnaround Times: To personalize a product usually means – it takes longer to produce. Plan ahead; build in some buffer time for any delays and make sure that you clearly indicate these deadlines to your suppliers.
Higher Costs: Customizing can result in higher production costs. This can be covered by resorting to less expensive techniques or local sources for raw materials and ordering in sizes that will better exploit pricing.

With a little planning and teamwork, overcoming these obstacles effectively allows retailers to deliver high-quality custom products that satisfy customer demands.

By collaborating with artisans in Vietnam, brands would be able to deliver a memorable, personalized product. Since customer preferences are continuously trending toward customization, embracing such products is an effective strategy to solidify customer relationships in the long run and accelerate business growth.

EU Investigates Temu for Alleged Sales of Illegal Goods

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The European Union has launched an investigation into Chinese e-commerce platform Temu, owned by PDD Holdings, over its failure to prevent the sale of illegal products. The EU aims to ensure Temu’s compliance with the Digital Services Act (DSA), specifically to verify that products sold on the platform meet EU standards and do not pose risks to consumers.

Under the DSA, internet platforms with over 45 million users in the EU are required to prevent the spread of misinformation and illegal content, or face fines of up to 6% of global revenue.

A spokesperson for Temu expressed the company’s commitment to cooperating closely with regulators, pledging to comply with DSA requirements, and stated that it would continue investing in compliance systems to protect consumer rights. Temu is also considering participation in a voluntary agreement organized by the European Commission (EC) to combat the online sale of counterfeit goods.

Temu joins other tech giants, including Meta, AliExpress, TikTok, and X, now under scrutiny in the EU’s effort to establish a global standard for tech regulation. Throughout the investigation, Temu could make commitments to address the EC’s concerns and potentially avoid penalties.

This inquiry follows an October 11 request from the EC, requiring Temu to disclose data and internal documentation on how it handles counterfeit and unsafe products on its marketplace. Since its global expansion, Temu has grown significantly, quickly ranking among the most downloaded apps in the U.S., with its flash sales, game-like features, and low prices appealing to consumers worldwide.

Vietnam’s Military History Museum Set to Open

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The Vietnam Military History Museum will officially open to the public on November 1, with free entry through December 2024. Located at Km 6+500 on Thang Long Avenue in Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem District, the museum spans 386,600 square meters and features over 150,000 artifacts, including four national treasures.

Funded by the Ministry of Defense, the newly constructed museum offers a contemporary design that goes beyond a traditional war exhibit, providing an interactive space where visitors can experience the journey of Vietnam’s People’s Army in its struggle for independence. The museum integrates advanced display methods, featuring 3D mapping technology, touchscreen information stations, automatic audioguides, QR codes for artifact details, and over 60 multimedia presentations detailing significant campaigns and historical figures.

Prudential trao “món quà” chu toàn giải pháp bảo vệ sức khỏe cho cả gia đình dịp cuối năm

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Với mục tiêu mang những giải pháp bảo vệ đến gần hơn với khách hàng và những người thân, Prudential Việt Nam ra mắt chương trình “Một Giải Pháp Sức Khỏe, Cả Gia Đình An Vui”, đây là một trong những nỗ lực tiếp nối cam kết của Prudential trong việc mang lại giá trị gia tăng và nâng cao trải nghiệm của khách hàng tham gia bảo hiểm.

Bảo hiểm là một trong những nhu cầu tài chính hiện diện trong cuộc sống hiện đại. Dù xu hướng cắt giảm chi tiêu vẫn chưa dừng lại nhưng bảo hiểm vẫn là một trong những nhu cầu tài chính hiện diện trong cuộc sống hiện đại. Theo khảo sát của Cốc Cốc về xu hướng tiêu dùng hiện đại có 16% người tiêu dùng thường xuyên sử dụng dịch vụ này, trong đó hơn 50% người được khảo sát cho biết họ tham gia bảo hiểm với mục tiêu bảo vệ tài sản, sức khỏe và bảo vệ quyền lợi của bản thân lẫn gia đình. Qua đó, có thể thấy việc tìm kiếm các giải pháp bảo hiểm đáp ứng nhu cầu bảo vệ sức khỏe toàn diện đã trở thành ưu tiên hàng đầu của nhiều gia đình Việt.

Đối mặt với những rủi ro tiềm ẩn trong cuộc sống, từ chi phí y tế ngày càng cao đến sự gia tăng của các bệnh lý mạn tính, nhu cầu về một “lá chắn” bảo vệ sức khỏe và tài chính bền vững trở nên cấp thiết hơn bao giờ hết. Nhu cầu đó không chỉ với riêng một cá nhân nào mà mỗi thành viên trong gia đình đều cần được chăm sóc sức khỏe như nhau.

Thấu hiểu được nhu cầu bảo vệ của khách hàng, Prudential muốn mang đến cho khách hàng sự an tâm và một giải pháp bảo vệ toàn diện cho cả gia đình thông qua chương trình khuyến mãi “Một Giải Pháp Sức Khỏe, Cả Gia Đình An Vui” giúp khách hàng tăng cường thêm quyền lợi bảo vệ cho bản thân hoặc gia đình

Cụ thể, khách hàng khi tham gia sản phẩm Bảo hiểm liên kết chung gồm PRU-Chủ Động Cuộc Sống, PRU-Bảo Vệ Tối Ưu, PRU-Hành Trang Trưởng Thành, PRU-Vững Chắc hoặc sản phẩm Bảo hiểm liên kết đơn vị PRU-Đầu Tư Linh Hoạt, đồng thời đính kèm sản phẩm bảo hiểm bổ trợ bảo vệ sức khỏe PRU-Hành Trang Vui Khỏe, sẽ được tham gia chương trình khuyến mãi với quà tặng là voucher Shopee trị giá 300.000 VNĐ, voucher dùng để mua e-voucher sản phẩm bảo hiểm tai nạn cá nhân PRU-Bảo Vệ 24/7 và bảo hiểm tai nạn cá nhân PRU-Vui Sống, có thể mua cho bản thân hoặc cho người thân để tăng cường bảo vệ.

Thời gian khuyến mãi từ 01/10/2024 đến 31/12/2024 với tổng giá trị giải thưởng lên đến hơn 3,6 tỷ đồng với số lượng quà tặng lên đến 12.258 vouchers Shopee trong suốt thời gian diễn ra chương trình.

Với voucher Shopee tặng kèm có thể dùng mua sản phẩm bảo hiểm trực tuyến, khách hàng không chỉ dễ dàng kích hoạt và quản lý mọi lúc, mọi nơi mà còn tăng cường quyền lợi bảo vệ cho cả bản thân hoặc người thân.

Khách hàng có thể sử dụng ưu đãi từ chương trình khuyến mại này để mua hợp đồng bảo hiểm cho bản thân hoặc người thân trong gia đình để tăng cường bảo vệ. Chi tiết thể lệ chương trình khuyến mãi vui lòng tham khảo tại đây.

Coinbase Third-Quarter Revenue Misses Estimates; Shares Fall: Analysts

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The U.S. presidential election is an important short-term catalyst for Coinbase and the wider industry, and could lead to more regulatory clarity, analysts said.

Coinbase (COIN) shares fell after the crypto exchange reported a top-line miss for the third quarter.

The stock dropped 2% to $207.50 in early trading Thursday. The company reported earnings after the close of U.S. markets on Wednesday.

KBW noted that total net revenue of $1.1 billion was 3% below its forecast and 5% below consensus estimates. The miss was driven by lower transaction revenues and a drop in subscription and services revenues, the investment bank said.

Still, reduced operating expenses more than offset the revenue miss and contributed to a better figure for adjusted EBITDA, said KBW, which has a market perform rating on the stock and a $165 price target.

Retail trading volumes were higher than expected but were totally offset by a compression in the retail fee rate, it said, noting that fourth-quarter commentary was also weak.

JMP said Coinbase management remains focused on the product roadmap, which is expected to drive further mainstream adoption.

The U.S. presidential election is likely to be a positive catalyst for both Coinbase and the wider crypto market, the broker said, as its expects “greater clarity and building consensus among legislators on both sides of the aisle in the coming months.”

Institutional interest in Coinbase is growing as it has become a more meaningful component of various stock indices, which is a positive development, JMP said. The broker has a market outperform rating on Coinbase shares with a $320 price target.

Canaccord noted that Coinbase continued to grow its business model in the quarter, despite lower market volatility and trading volumes, with more revenue coming from recurring sources such as staking and custody.

A larger catalyst in the short term could be a change in the regulatory regime following the U.S. election next week, the broker said.

A clearer regulatory framework could result in the dismissal of the current Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) case against Coinbase, Canaccord said.

The broker has a buy rating on Coinbase stock with a $280 price target.

Bitcoin Prices Take Breather as BTC ETFs Record Another Day of Monster Inflows

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Strong net flows into bitcoin exchange-traded funds indicate robust institutional demand as BTC dominance rises at the expense of ether, one trader noted.

Bitcoin (BTC) markets saw profit-taking over the past 24 hours after a strong week in which the largest cryptocurrency posted a seven-day gain of almost 8%.

BTC fell as much as 0.5% before recovering to just over $72,400 during the European morning. It rose as high as $73,200 in early Asian morning hours Wednesday. Major tokens posted losses with Solana’s SOL and BNB Chain’s BNB falling as much as 2.5% while dogecoin (DOGE) dropped 1% after several days of outperformance.

The broad-based CoinDesk 20 (CD20), a liquid index of the largest tokens by market capitalization, lost 1.3% in the past 24 hours.

A breather in the market from a wider pump earlier in the week came amid a second straight day of strong inflows for U.S. bitcoin exchange-traded funds (ETFs). The ETFs recorded over $893 million in inflows on Wednesday after taking in $879 million on Tuesday, the first back-to-back inflows of more than $850 million. Cumulative net inflows since their introduction in January now total $24 billion, according to data tracked by Farside Investors.

BlackRock’s IBIT accounted for most of Wednesday’s flows, attracting a record $872 million.

Other ETFs posted inflows under $12 million, while Bitwise’s BITB was the only product with net outflows, losing $23.9 million.

The net inflows are a sign of institutional demand as bitcoin’s dominance continues to grow, traders said.

“Strong BTC net inflows indicate robust institutional demand as BTC dominance continues to rise (59.8%) at the expense of ETH,” Augustine Fan, head of insights at DeFi platform SOFA, told CoinDesk in a Telegram message. “BTC has outperformed ETH by nearly 10% on a week-on-week basis.

“Equities are trading with a distinctive ‘Trump-win’ flavour despite official betting odds still calling for a 50–50 race. Similar positive skews can be observed in gold and crypto prices with call skews being bid up post-election as a hedge,” Fan wrote.

Skew refers to the shape of the distribution of returns for a financial asset. Positive skew in an options market context, such gold and cryptocurrency prices, indicates that there’s an increased demand for call options relative to put options. This means more investors are buying options betting on the price of the asset to go higher.

Gold Demand Declines in Vietnam

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A report by the World Gold Council (WGC) reveals that gold demand in Vietnam has dropped significantly, likely due to soaring gold prices, which have dampened new purchases. In Q3 2024, Vietnam’s demand for gold jewelry decreased by 15% from the previous quarter and by 13% year-over-year, making Vietnam an exception in the ASEAN region, where countries like Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia saw double-digit growth.

Geopolitical tensions, domestic economic concerns, and anticipated gold price increases continue to drive investment interest across ASEAN. However, in Vietnam, demand for gold bars and coins fell by 33% compared to Q3 2023 and by 10% compared to 2023 overall. This trend is linked to the unprecedented surge in global gold prices, which reached an average of $2,474 per ounce in Q3, an all-time high that has contributed to a 12% decrease in global gold jewelry consumption by volume, despite a 13% increase in value.

According to Shaokai Fan, Asia-Pacific Regional Director at WGC, the high prices have heightened investment demand while potentially deterring some consumers. He suggests that price stability may be essential to sustain jewelry demand moving forward. Despite some declines in bar and coin investments, the global demand remains robust, driven largely by a “fear of missing out” mentality among investors and global instability. Senior WGC market analyst Louise Street forecasts that gold’s role as a safe-haven asset will likely keep demand high as geopolitical tensions, particularly in the Middle East and U.S., escalate.

North-South Railway Resumes Service Through Quang Tri

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After two days of disruption due to heavy rains and storms, the North-South railway section passing through Vinh Linh, Quang Tri province, resumed operations on the afternoon of October 29.

The North-South railway, through Quang Tri province, has resolved the problem and opened for traffic on the afternoon of October 29. Photo: VNA

According to a representative from Vietnam Railways Corporation, Binh Tri Thien Railway Joint Stock Company, along with other railway units, mobilized equipment and hundreds of workers from Quang Tri, Thua Thien Hue, and Quang Binh to repair the damaged and eroded railway section through Quang Tri province.

By the afternoon of October 29, officials had mostly completed repairs between Sa Lung and Tien An stations. specifically, the first freight train withdrew from Sa Lung station at 3:33 PM to test the track. After the HH15 freight train reached Tien An station, Binh Tri Thien Railway Joint Stock Company requested that the HH10 freight train departed from Tien An station for additional inspection, after which the SE6 passenger train would be allowed to resume. By approximately 5:00 PM that same day, the North-South railway line was officially reopened. Initially, trains are limited to a speed of 5 km/h on this section.

Previously, on October 27, due to the impact of Typhoon Trami, floodwaters rose and overflowed the North-South railway line near the Sa Lung bridge in Vinh Linh district, Quang Tri province. This caused two sections of the railway, totaling more than 1.3 kilometers, to shift downstream from the original alignment by 3-3.9 meters.

During the repair period, Hanoi and Saigon Railway Joint Stock Companies arranged for the transfer of 4,574 passengers across 17 trains and provided free meals and beverages for passengers affected by delays.

@Thesaigontimes

Long An Plans to Host ‘Vam River Aspiration’ Event in December

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“Vam River Aspiration” will be the theme of the second Long An Provincial Culture, Sports, and Tourism Week of 2024, organized by the People’s Committee of Long An Province. The event is expected to take place from November 28 to December 4, as reported by the Long An Provincial Information Portal.

This year’s Culture, Sports, and Tourism Week is intended to attract investment and stimulate tourism development, while also preserving and promoting historical, cultural, natural, and other human resources.

Illustration: Ngoc Khuyen

The event will feature activities such as conferences on tourism linkage, cooperation, and promotion of OCOP products between Ho Chi Minh City and the 13 provinces of the Mekong Delta region, as well as a trade, culinary, and tourism fair promoting Long An and Korea in 2024.

There will also be tours, experiences, and exchanges at prominent local tourism destinations such as Phuoc Loc Tho Ancient Village, Tan Lap Floating Ecotourism Village, and the Endless Field – Dong Thap Muoi Medicinal Herbs Tourist Area.

According to the Long An Provincial Information Portal, the event aims to seek partners, attract investment, and promote tourism trade with international organizations and businesses, thus elevating Long An’s profile on the global tourism map.

@SGtiepthi

International Searches for Vietnam Tourism Information on the Rise

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Data from the digital travel platform Agoda shows a continuous increase in international travelers searching for information about tourist destinations in Vietnam over the past three months — July, August, and September.

Notably, in September, as many travelers began planning for the upcoming Christmas and New Year holidays, search volume surged by 84% compared to the same period last year.

International visitors in Thua Thien Hue. Photo: Hoang Hai

Specifically, search interest increased by 4% in July, 31% in August, and 84% in September year-on-year.

Another highlight from Agoda’s data is the rise in bookings from August to October 2024 for destinations in northern Vietnam, including Hanoi, Sa Pa, Ha Giang, Ha Long Bay, Hai Phong, and Cat Ba. These bookings grew by 4% compared to the same period in 2023. The data, collected from August 1-7 and October 1-7, corresponds to the periods before and after Typhoon Yagi.

This reflects the steady interest from travelers in northern Vietnam’s key tourist areas despite the damage caused by Typhoon Yagi on September 7.

“Agoda believes travelers will gradually return to these destinations as post-typhoon cleanup completes,” stated Vu Ngoc Lam, Country Director of Agoda Vietnam, in a press release.

Agoda also reports that the number of international visitors to Vietnam in the first nine months of the year increased by 43% compared to the same period in 2023, although no specific figures were provided.

Meanwhile, data from the General Statistics Office indicates that Vietnam welcomed 12.7 million international visitors in the first nine months of this year, a 43% increase compared to last year. The number of international arrivals in the first nine months has surpassed the total visitor count for all of 2023.

@SGtiepthi

Binh Dinh Proposes Pilot Project for Aerial Taxis to Boost Tourism

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Binh Dinh’s leadership sees aerial taxis as a unique, modern, and innovative form of transportation that can effectively stimulate tourism demand.

On October 30, Binh Dinh Province’s People’s Committee announced that it had submitted a formal proposal to the Ministry of Transport, requesting a report to the Prime Minister for approval to develop a pilot project for aerial taxi operations within the province.

Quy Nhon City seen from above

In the submission, Binh Dinh stated that aerial taxis offer considerable potential, aligning well with the province’s tourism development goals. This initiative aims to establish Binh Dinh as a premier regional destination while realizing comprehensive, rapid, and sustainable tourism growth in line with the Prime Minister’s guidance and the province’s planning strategy for 2021–2030, with a vision towards 2050.

Aerial taxis are small, electrically powered aircraft capable of vertical take-off and landing, designed to transport around 4–5 passengers. This is a novel in the form of transportation; Globally, several countries like China, the U.S., Germany, the U.K., Singapore, and South Korea have explored and tested passenger aerial taxis, although Vietnam has yet to introduce this mode of travel.

Quy Nhon City seen from Hai Minh peninsula

The Binh Dinh People’s Committee believes that aerial taxis represent an innovative, eco-friendly, and modern form of transport that could significantly drive tourism demand. This method of travel provides easy mobility, saves time, offers competitive pricing, and has lower emissions compared to traditional road and rail transport.

Binh Dinh boasts many famous beaches, such as Quy Nhon, Hai Giang, Trung Luong, and Cat Hai, as well as several offshore islands, including Nhon Chau, Hon Kho, and Yen Island. Aerial taxis could be an ideal mode of transport for tourists to experience and appreciate Binh Dinh’s stunning, pristine landscapes from above.

@Thanhnien.vn

Five Airports to Implement Cashless Toll Collection from November

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The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) will officially implement cashless toll collection at five airports—Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cat Bi, and Phu Bai—starting in November.

ACV will officially collect non-stop fees at 5 airports from November. Photo: TIA.

During a recent review conference of ACV’s performance over the first 10 months of the year, the ACV leadership reported that passenger and cargo throughput at airports under its management has continued to grow steadily. Domestic market figures show a slight decrease, while the international market experienced solid growth.

Specifically, over the past 10 months, aircraft movements across ACV-managed airports totaled over 555,000, reaching 79% of the annual target but showing an 8% decrease compared to the same period in 2023.

International flights extracted for nearly 213,000 takeoffs and landings, a 19% increase year-on-year, while domestic flights dropped by 19%, totaling nearly 343,000 movements.

Total passenger volume exceeded 91.4 million, achieving 80% of the yearly target and a 5% decrease compared to the same period in 2023. International passenger volume reached nearly 34 million, marking a 28% increase, while domestic passenger volume dropped by 17% to over 57.6 million.

Notably, ACV announced that the equipment installation and testing for cashless toll collection at Tan Son Nhat, Noi Bai, Da Nang, Cat Bi, and Phu Bai airports have been completed, and the system is expected to go live from early November. Additionally, ACV is making progress on network infrastructure projects at 21 airports to facilitate online check-in for domestic airlines.

Concerning major projects, ACV’s leadership confirmed their commitment to fulfill the directives from the Prime Minister, Deputy Prime Ministers, and the State Capital Management Committee on ensuring the timely delivery of key infrastructure projects.

These include the construction of Terminal T3 at Tan Son Nhat Airport, the first phase of Long Thanh Airport, and the expansion of Terminal T2 at Noi Bai Airport, all of which meet the required standards for schedule, quality, and on-site safety. Certain tasks have even surpassed the contracted schedule, with bidding and contractor selection conducted transparently in accordance with legal regulations.

Looking forward, ACV plans to expand Ca Mau Airport to accommodate A320, A321, and similar aircraft types. The expansion will include a new runway, connecting taxiways, and an upgraded terminal with a capacity of 500,000 passengers per year (with potential scalability up to 1 million passengers per year).

ACV also aims to implement additional support infrastructure, including roads connecting the new aircraft apron to the terminal, parking facilities, a fire station, security fencing, and a ring road system. The project has an estimated investment of around VND 2,400 billion and an 18-month timeline upon receiving government approval for land use.

@Znews