Wallets linked to the German government still hold some 23,800 bitcoin, according to Arkham Intelligence data.
Bitcoin (BTC) fell on Monday afternoon in Europe as the German government moved another $500 million of assets, blockchain data shows.
According to blockchain data platform Arkham Intelligence, a Bitcoin address tagged as belonging to the German government moved 8,700 BTC to an intermediate wallet before transferring assets to crypto exchanges Bitstamp, Kraken and Coinbase and market maker Flow Traders.
Bitcoin’s price dropped 3% to as low as $55,000 shortly after the blockchain transactions. Later, it rebounded to slightly above $56,000, still down 1.2% over the past 24 hours.
The price action came after last week’s slide to the lowest price since February. Market observers pointed to a massive supply overhang coming to the market during the relatively quiet and low-volume summer season with the German and U.S. governments apparently selling seized assets just as the defunct crypto exchange Mt. Gox starts to issue repayments.
With the latest transfers, the German authorities holdings have now reduced to 23,788 BTC worth $1.3 billion from 50,000 BTC since it started unloading tokens last month, according to Arkham data.
Laophattananews, the publication of the Lao Journalists’ Association, recently published an article highlighting its positive impression of the growth rate of Vietnam’s tourism industry.
Golden Bridge (Da Nang) is one of the favorite tourist destinations of many international tourists when coming to Vietnam. Photo: @frantzeska_v.
According to information cited in the article, Vietnam welcomed over 8.8 million international visitors in the first half of the year, an increase of 4.1% compared to the period before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The news site also provided data on the number of tourists arriving in Vietnam by air this year, accounting for 83.8%, equivalent to 7.4 million visitors.
The article also expressed an impression of the number of tourists coming to Vietnam from the Northeast Asian region, such as South Korea and China. According to the survey, tourists from this region accounted for up to 47.2% of the total number of international visitors to Vietnam.
Laophattananews stated that these are the two main markets helping Vietnam’s tourism industry to recover rapidly. In addition, the number of tourists from China to Vietnam also saw the strongest increase recorded in the past two years.
The newspaper commented that the number of international visitors to Vietnam would continue to increase strongly in the second half of the year, predicting that “Lao’s neighboring country” will achieve the goal of welcoming 17 to 18 million foreign tourists this year.
The Vietnam Salt Craft Festival will be held for the first time in Bac Lieu from December 26 to 28, 2024, under the theme “A Century Journey of the Salt Craft – A Human Life,” aiming to honor and preserve Vietnam’s salt craft.
Vietnam Salt Craft Festival will be held for the first time in Bac Lieu from December 26 to 28, 2024, named “A Century Journey of the Salt Craft – A Human Life”. Photo: TTXVN
In addition to the opening and closing ceremonies, the festival will feature a field survey program of Bac Lieu’s salt fields and the inauguration of the upgraded infrastructure project at the Dong Hai salt field in Dong Hai district.
The Vietnam Salt Craft Festival will also include events such as fairs displaying and introducing products, trade exhibitions by provinces, cities, businesses, and cooperatives; investment promotion conferences in agriculture and rural areas; and seminars on the application of science and technology in salt production, adapted to climate change…
Visitors to the Vietnam Salt Craft Festival will have the opportunity to explore exhibition spaces showcasing models, artifacts, and technical advancements in salt production and processing; and to experience tours of local tourist attractions and historical sites in Bac Lieu.
As one of the provinces with a large salt production area in the country, with an annual output of over 15,000 tons, Bac Lieu is famous for its distinctively salty salt. Unlike the pure white salt from the central region, Bac Lieu salt has a pinkish-white color, carrying the unique flavor of alluvial seawater.
Besides its economic value, the salt craft in Bac Lieu also holds significant cultural value. It is considered the “salt capital” of the southwestern region. The stories surrounding the salt craft and Bac Lieu salt have tangible value and tourism potential. In 2020, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism recognized Bac Lieu’s salt craft as a national intangible cultural heritage.
The 15th “Through the Heritage Regions of Viet Bac” tourism program will take place from August 24 to August 29, organized in collaboration with six provinces in the northern mountainous region (commonly known as Viet Bac region), including Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Tuyen Quang, and Ha Giang.
A corner of Ba Be Lake, Bac Kan province
This year, Bac Kan province will host the annual program, coinciding with the activities commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Bac Kan province (August 24, 1949 – August 24, 2024).
The organizers shared this information at the tourism promotion conference for the six Viet Bac provinces, along with the introduction of the 15th “Through the Heritage Regions of Viet Bac” tourism program in Bac Kan in 2024, held in Da Nang city today, July 8.
At the event, in addition to introducing the annual tourism program and promoting the tourism images of the six Viet Bac provinces, the tourism sectors of these localities also signed cooperation agreements with tourism businesses in Da Nang city to attract visitors to the festival and to explore the heritage and nature of the region.
Specifically, the 15th “Through the Heritage Regions of Viet Bac” tourism program in Bac Kan in 2024 will officially open on the evening of August 25 at the stage in Bac Kan Provincial Cultural House Square.
Furthermore, the program will feature key activities such as the 1st “Miss Viet Bac” competition in Bac Kan in 2024 with the final round taking place on the evening of September 14, the expanded Bac Kan Provincial Terrain Cycling Race (conquering the new route from Bac Kan City to Ba Be Lake) from August 25 to August 26, 2024, the OCOP Agricultural Products and Culinary Culture Festival of the six Viet Bac provinces from August 24 to August 28 at the Bac Kan Provincial Center for Training and Competition in Physical Education and Sports.
Other activities include the Exhibition of Paintings and Tourism Photos of the six Viet Bac provinces from August 24 to August 29 at the Lobby of the Bac Kan Provincial Center for Culture and Tourism Promotion, the “Experience a Tour Around Viet Bac” tour guide competition held in six provinces from August 20 to August 25, and various folk games for residents and tourists from August 25 to August 26 at the Bac Kan Provincial Center for Training and Competition in Physical Education and Sports.
The Da Nang Department of Tourism has announced that from July 17th to 21st, the Enjoy Danang 2024 Festival will take place, featuring a series of exciting and unique events. This is the most anticipated festival of the summer.
One of the highlights of Enjoy Danang 2024 is the participation of numerous famous artists in the opening night concert, including singers My Tam, Noo Phuoc Thinh, Phuong Ly, Pham Dinh Thai Ngan, and DJ Mie. The concert will take place at 7:30 PM on July 17th at East Sea Park. The event is free, allowing both locals and tourists to attend without charge.
In addition to music, the Enjoy Danang 2024 Festival will offer an exploration of Da Nang’s signature dishes, regional specialties, and international cuisine with 50 food stalls. Besides enjoying delicious food and experiencing Da Nang’s culinary culture, visitors can also watch cooking demonstrations by artisans and professional chefs.
At the 2024 Danang Enjoy Festival, visitors will discover typical dishes of Da Nang. Photo: Trieu Pham
Moreover, visitors will experience a sand festival, a new and unique activity being held for the first time…
Visitors can also watch beach volleyball and soccer matches, and participate in an art check-in space featuring brightly decorated round basket boats and surfboards. A highlight of the festival is the children’s fashion catwalk on the sand.
Particularly, at the Enjoy Danang 2024 Festival, visitors will be guided and participate in making various Central Vietnamese specialty cakes such as banh it tran, banh xoai, la mi, and banh thuan…
Visitors will be guided and participate in making their own Central region specialty cakes at the 2024 Da Nang Enjoyment Festival. Photo: Trieu Pham
The festival will also offer a series of sports activities such as the SUP Day, barefoot beach running competition, and Zumba performances. The combination of parasailing and jetski performances will captivate the audience with spectacular and thrilling displays.
The kite show takes place from July 17-19 at Bien Dong Park. Photo: Trieu Pham
The Da Nang Department of Tourism stated that the festival would be a distinctive tourism product, promoting Da Nang as a destination to attract both domestic and international tourists, and positioning Da Nang as a leading festival and event destination in Asia.
The protocol was one of the first ICOs on Ethereum, raising $8.6 million worth of ether in 29 minutes and setting the precedent for thousands of other ICOs in the years since.
Golem, one of the earliest Ethereum initial coin offerings (ICOs), has sent over $100 million worth of ether (ETH) to exchanges in the past month, possibly adding selling pressure to the market.
ICOs were a popular way to raise funds to build cryptocurrency projects, with billions of dollars raised from 2016 to 2019. These lost charm among investors in the following years, however, amid regulatory tussles and a general lack of demand.
Data tracked by Arkham shows that Golem’s main wallet has transferred millions of ETH to other wallets, which were later sent to exchanges such as Binance, Bitfinex, Coinbase, and others. Most of these transactions are below $10 million in value and are sent daily.
Independent journalist Colin Wu first reported on Golem’s wallet movements. Golem’s X account did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and the project has not publicly revealed any major upcoming product releases on its X account.
Golem is working on artificial intelligence (AI) based tools as the sector gains interest among traders, as per a roadmap spotlight released in May.
Transactions to crypto exchanges usually imply an intention to sell holdings, as large amounts of tokens are usually not held on an exchange service for a long time for security reasons.
Golem raised over $8.7 million worth of ETH in 2016, becoming one of the biggest benefactors of the ICO frenzy in those years as its decentralized computing narrative did the rounds on social media sites. It positioned itself as a marketplace for computing power, where users can rent out their unused computational resources in return for Golem’s GLM tokens.
But popularity has waned since: Golem currently trades at just 30 cents with a market cap of $300 million, down from an all-time high of $1.32 in January 2018.
Vietnam has been developing as one of the hot spots for businesses seeking to relocate part of their production in this era of diversification of global supply chains.
Often, buying offices can initiate this shift, taking upon themselves a wide variety of services that set up smooth operations and high-quality output.
Among the key activities the buying offices would handle for their clients are supplier search and quality inspection.
How to find the right supplier?
Finding the right supplier is the basis for a successful sourcing strategy. This usually starts by visiting wholesale markets, factories, and exhibitions where you, or your buying office, will meet many potential suppliers.
The first thing to do is state your product requirements, quality standards, target price, and timeline. That’s the primary input for starting the supplier search. Once potential suppliers are shortlisted, the track record of suppliers in terms of quality control procedures, delivery times, and financial stability are considered. This step ensures that the selected suppliers can consistently meet your needs.
Further checks and analysis, such as factory audits and risk assessments, verify the legitimacy of suppliers to ensure they comply with legal and ethical standards. It may include site visits, reference checks, or reviews of business licenses and certifications.
Benefits of using a buying office partner in Vietnam
Here are some reasons to consider using a Vietnam buying office partner in Vietnam:
A good buying office will have professionals that speak the local language fluently (Vietnamese, in this case) and English. They should have strong communication channels, be quick to respond to inquiries, and be available for calls when needed.
Some sourcing agents might specialize in manufacturing projects like furniture, handicrafts, or metalwork. Check if the experience of the buying office being considered aligns with the area in which your business needs assistance.
A third-party company hired to handle your procurement can be thought of as a connection between the buyer and supplier. The acquired company will know the demands and limitations of both parties. Negotiation skills must be assessed in this regard, especially in rates, payment terms, and minimum order quantity (MOQ).
Having a buying office with attached warehousing facilities can provide a host of benefits. They can supervise the logistics and warehousing, manage orders from many suppliers in mixed container consolidations, and assure cost savings. They can also provide quality control, proper packing, and customization of the packaging that would enhance the visibility and appeal of your brand.
Top 3 recommended Vietnam buying offices
As a new entrant or SME, partnering with small to mid-scale sourcing agencies can be highly advantageous due to their flexibility and adaptability in handling small-scale projects.
These agencies can effectively deploy their teams to meet the specific needs of emerging businesses, ensuring tailored support and personalized service.
MovetoAsia: As a professional buying office agency based in Vietnam, they offer specialized services to help businesses leveraging sourcing and manufacturing in Vietnam. Find more detailed resources and insights on this Vietnam sourcing playlist.
SourcingAgentVietnam.Com: Based in Vietnam, this sourcing agency has served international buyers for six years. With a small-scale team, they have built a reputation for trustworthiness. They excel in connecting buyers with reliable manufacturers and suppliers in Vietnam, ensuring smooth communication, quality control, and timely delivery.
Nordcham Consulting: Established in Ho Chi Minh City, this Vietnamese sourcing agency offers factory audits, quality assessments, and consulting for sourcing.
These processes are vital for maintaining product standards. They fall into three main categories: pre-production, during production, and final random control of goods.
Each plays a role in eliminating potential risks and ensuring clients receive products that meet their specific requirements.
Vetting new suppliers
Pre-production due diligence is crucial for discovering potential issues before they become significant problems. As the saying goes, “garbage in, garbage out”; faulty parts or raw materials do not give quality products. Buying offices may arrange to have random samples of inputs visually inspected or sent to laboratories for testing. This step is vital for customized and complex products.
Experienced inspectors verify the factory’s capability to interpret the technical files and ensure effective communication between development and manufacturing teams. They confirm that the machinery for large-scale manufacturing is the same as that used for prototypes. Although production is underway, finding problems earlier saves significant impediments.
Quality Control
Inspecting products during production, also called in-line quality check, prevents the creation of many defective goods, which would cost much to rework or require a completely new production cycle. During an in-line quality check, the first few pieces produced are checked for compliance.
This allows the factory to make immediate amends and reduces the risk of delays, keeping the order on track. In-line inspections also enable buyers to verify the production location, ensuring transparency and accountability.
Final product inspection
The most popular quality check among importers is the final product inspection, which takes place when products are fully finished and ready to ship. Inspectors examine the conformity of products with a predetermined list of criteria regarding quantity, workmanship, functionality, safety, appearance, size, and packaging. This form of inspection allows a genuinely random sample to be drawn, representing views of the entire batch. Although the findings of such verifications are commonly promising, buyers should remember that they do not fully guarantee the quality of the total order. To minimize risks, the buying office may advise supplementary measures, such as container-loading supervision, to safeguard shipment integrity. This helps avoid frauds like shipping smaller quantities or substituting products after the final inspection.
Contracting vs setting up a buying office team
Vietnam’s manufacturing sector offers good products at competitive prices. The remaining question for businesses is whether to use an existing local buying office or setup their own team. Owning an office in Vietnam gives you full control over operations, including staff and brand representation, potentially leading to long-term savings. However, it requires a high initial investment, takes time to build a reliable network, and carries higher risks due to the complexities of navigating a new market.
Contracting an existing local buying office allows for faster, cost-effective entry with less risk. Local sourcing agents have established networks and knowledge of regulations, ensuring smoother operations. However, this approach offers less control and flexibility over sourcing strategies and brand representation. Finding a partner whose values align with your business needs is crucial to ensure a successful partnership.
Several global corporations, including LG, Samsung, and Intel, have halted billion-dollar projects in Vietnam, primarily due to inadequate investment incentives.
Samsung announced it will relocate its production line to India, while LG has paused a $5 billion investment plan for electronics production. Japan’s SMC is contemplating investing $500 million to $1 billion in Dong Nai, according to the Ministry of Planning and Investment.
A recent draft decree on the establishment, management, and use of the Investment Support Fund reveals that many large corporations have explored investment opportunities in Vietnam but eventually opted for other countries. For instance, LG Chemical proposed a battery production project in Vietnam, requesting 30% production cost support, but later moved to Indonesia. Intel considered a $3.3 billion chip manufacturing project in Vietnam with a 15% cash support request, but chose Poland instead. Austria’s AT&S Semiconductor Group also shifted its plans to Malaysia due to unmet cost support and high-tech labor requirements in Vietnam.
A Shoe Factory in Vietnam
The Ministry highlighted that Vietnam’s current investment incentive policies are outdated, relying solely on income-based incentives like tax exemptions and land rental reductions, with no cost-based incentives. These policies have not kept pace with global changes, particularly the introduction of the Global Minimum Tax. Additionally, Vietnam’s budget law lacks provisions for budget spending on forms of investment support outlined in the Investment Law.
Urgent measures are needed to address the impact of the Global Minimum Tax and prevent a wave of investment shifts away from Vietnam. Consequently, the Ministry’s latest draft proposes the creation of an Investment Support Fund. This fund will derive revenue from the state budget, additional corporate income tax revenue, contributions, aid, sponsorships, interest from deposits, annual fund balances, and other sources.
The fund aims to support high-tech enterprises, investment projects for high-tech product production, high-tech application projects, and research and development centers. Cost supports will cover human resource development training, research and development, fixed asset investments, high-tech product production, and social infrastructure system investments.
National airline Vietnam Airlines is boosting early morning and late-night flights with attractive fares and is preparing to receive additional Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787-10 aircraft this July.
Vietnam Airlines is preparing to receive more Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787-10 aircraft
A representative from Vietnam Airlines stated: During the peak summer season, the airline recorded high occupancy rates of 75% – 94% for flights from 9 PM to 5 AM in May and June to major tourist destinations such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Quy Nhon, Phu Quoc, etc. This positive performance is the result of the swift and comprehensive implementation of activities and extensive cooperation programs between the national airline and provinces, cities, and partners.
To offer attractive fares, Vietnam Airlines is launching the “Fly at Night, Get Great Rates” program. Accordingly, passengers can purchase domestic flight tickets starting from VND 1.098 million per one-way ticket for economy class and from VND 1.905 million per one-way ticket for business class. These prices include taxes and fees and are easily available for early morning or late-night flights.
Many domestic flights are offering attractive prices for early morning and late evening flights on Vietnam Airlines’ website and mobile application.
Vietnam Airlines is also partnering with Vinpearl to offer up to 50% discounts on airfare and hotel rooms for customers taking flights departing from 9 PM to 5 AM to destinations with Vinpearl hotels. A notable program is the “Night Flight Combo, Great Summer Vacation,” where customers can enjoy a package deal of round-trip Vietnam Airlines flights and 2 or 3 nights at Vinpearl hotel rooms, including breakfast, starting from VND 3 million per person.
For individual Vietnam Airlines customers booking rooms, the parties are implementing the “Special Offer for Individual Room Bookings” program. Customers can enter the code VNAVP30 to receive a 30% discount on room rates on Vinpearl.com and the My Vinpearl app.
Vietnam Airlines recorded a high occupancy rate for late-night flights to some key tourist destinations
These promotional programs are specific activities within the cooperation agreement that Vietnam Airlines signed with provinces, cities, and partners in mid-June. Under this agreement, the airline has coordinated with parties to create linked aviation-tourism products at attractive prices to stimulate domestic tourism.
It is known that the national airline is also preparing to receive additional Airbus A320neo and Boeing 787-10 aircraft this July to meet the high demand of the summer peak season, in accordance with the directives of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam.
International Kite Festival – Quang Nam 2024 will take place from July 25 to 28, featuring around 100 types of kites from 12 countries and territories. The festival will include a colorful kite exhibition space, aiming to establish its own unique brand.
Recently, at Hoiana Resort – Golf (Duy Hai Commune, Duy Xuyen District, Quang Nam), the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Quang Nam Province, in coordination with Nam Hoi An Development Co., Ltd., held a press conference to announce the International Kite Festival – Quang Nam 2024.
This event is part of the 2024 tourism promotion activities series “Quang Nam – Green Heritage Region”. The festival will take place from July 25 to 28 at the beach near Hoiana Resort (Tay Son Tay Village, Duy Hai Commune).
The beach where the International Kite Festival – Quang Nam 2024 takes place
This international kite art event aims to promote and preserve the art of making and flying kites. It also aims to establish an annual international cultural, artistic, and tourism event in Quang Nam, attracting both domestic and international visitors to Quang Nam and other tourist destinations in Central Vietnam.
This year, the festival will feature kite teams from more than 12 countries and territories, including China, Singapore, Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Malaysia, Australia, India, Cambodia, and more.
The teams will showcase artistic kite flying with around 100 different types of kites, alongside a colorful kite exhibition space.
A highlight of the International Kite Festival – Quang Nam 2024 is the LED kite flying program on the evenings of July 26, 27, and 28. Especially on the evening of July 27, there will be a grand music night featuring performances by famous young singers.
In addition to enjoying the artistic kite performances, visitors will have the opportunity to participate in kite-making classes under the guidance of artisans, explore local cuisine, and enjoy magic shows and fire dance performances.
In support of this event, accommodation providers in the province, including Hoiana Resort – Golf, have launched many attractive promotional packages to welcome visitors.
Speaking at the press conference, Mr. Steven Wolstenholme, Chairman and CEO of Hoiana Resort – Golf, stated that the International Kite Festival – Quang Nam 2024 is an international event in kite art, expected to strongly promote Quang Nam’s image to international visitors.
According to Mr. Steven Wolstenholme, as the organizing unit, Hoiana promises to create a colorful kite art performance and exhibition space along with exciting and high-class entertainment activities.
“We believe that with thorough preparation and dedication, the 2024 International Kite Festival will bring unique and memorable experiences to every visitor to Hoiana in particular and Quang Nam Province in general during this special occasion,” said Mr. Steven Wolstenholme.
Mr. Steven Wolstenholme also hopes that the International Kite Festival will soon become a unique brand of the locality, making Quang Nam a “magnet” for tourists in Central Vietnam.
Nha Trang Bay of Lights International Festival 2024 (Ever Glamour Nha Trang 2024) is an international drone light competition featuring top teams from around the world, taking place on the nights of July 13 and July 20.
For the first time globally, a unique light show competition using thousands of unmanned aerial vehicles is being organized, not only creating excitement among locals and tourists but also attracting international media attention.
In recent days, over 1,000 international news outlets in the US, Germany, France, Japan, South Korea, China, Malaysia, and Indonesia have reported on the Nha Trang Bay of Lights International Festival 2024. Prominent headlines from major news agencies like AP, Business Insider, Yahoo, Morning Star, Asiaone, Fox, Daum, and HapsKorea stand out.
International media have noted that this is the first time a drone light competition is being held globally; it’s a grand and highly anticipated light show festival of 2024.
Nha Trang International Bay of Light Festival 2024 has the theme “Brilliant Milky Way”.
The large-scale, heavily invested event promises to bring unprecedented experiences to audiences, locals, and tourists in Nha Trang. The festival will feature four teams representing the leading countries in drone light performances: China, South Korea, France, and the UAE.
Each participating team will use at least 1,000 drones to perform for 15-20 minutes, combined with modern music performances on stage, creating a lively, captivating, and emotional overall picture.
Mr. Đinh Văn Thiệu, Vice Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Provincial People’s Committee, affirmed that the Nha Trang Bay of Lights International Festival 2024 is the “highlight” event of Khanh Hoa’s summer tourism season in 2024. This is the first large-scale drone light show competition to be held in Vietnam and also the first globally.
“Images of historical, cultural, and tourism landmarks characteristic of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa will be designed and performed by the teams to bring the audience the most vivid visual experiences of the beautiful, friendly, and hospitable land of Khanh Hoa,” said Mr. Dinh Van Thieu.
The opening ceremony and the first competition night will be held at 2/4 Square, Nha Trang City, on the evening of July 13. This will be a showdown between two South Korea and China teams, with the theme “Nha Trang Shines – Glamour Nha Trang.”
The second competition night between the teams from France and the UAE, with the theme “Night of the Wonders,” followed by the closing ceremony, will be held at Vinpearl Harbour (Hon Tre Island, Nha Trang) on the evening of July 20. There will also be rehearsals for the teams before the competition nights (July 12 and 19).
With a minimum of 1,000 drones used by each competing team, this is the largest drone demonstration festival of 2024.
The number of international visitors to Nha Trang in July is expected to increase by at least 60% compared to last year. Domestic and international airlines have also scheduled additional flights to Nha Trang during this period.
According to the Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Tourism, over 80% of accommodation capacity in Nha Trang has already been booked for the event period, and this number continues to rise. Many hotels and resorts in the city center are nearly fully booked in advance.
The year 2024 holds many hopes for the robust development of tourism in particular and the socio-economic status of Khanh Hoa province in general through unique programs and events. The province aims to welcome 9 million overnight visitors, including 3 million international tourists and strives to achieve tourism revenue of about VND 40,000 billion.
Large-scale, unique activities and events such as EGN 2024 and WonderFest Nha Trang are being organized throughout the year in the province to effectively exploit cultural, tourism, and entertainment values to stimulate demand, attract tourists, and promote tourism growth, contributing to establishing Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa as a destination for exciting festivals and events, leaving a lasting impression on domestic and international tourists.
The Management Board of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province has proposed a fee for half-day tours to visit Ha Long Bay, covering all five tour routes at a price of 600,000 VND per adult.
Proposal to charge fees for some new routes to visit Ha Long Bay.
The Ha Long Bay Management Board has recently issued a draft resolution to amend and supplement the sightseeing fees for Ha Long Bay’s scenic spots to gather feedback from agencies, organizations, and individuals.
According to the Ha Long Bay Management Board, they are currently collecting opinions from relevant parties affected by the sightseeing fees for Ha Long Bay’s scenic spots, with plans to complete and report to the provincial People’s Committee by July.
Accordingly, the Ha Long Bay Management Board proposed to collect fees to visit Ha Long Bay for 3 new routes, including Ha Long Bay – Gia Luan tourist tour itinerary: Departing from Ha Long International Passenger Port or Tuan Chau international passenger ship port – Chan Voi island – Ba Cua village – Tung Lam island – Cap Bai island – the last point of the journey adjacent to Gia Luan, Lan Ha Bay (Hai Phong). Fees range from 75,000 to 150,000 VND.
Tourists jostle to buy tickets to visit Ha Long Bay.
General Ha Long Bay tour: Starting from Ha Long International Cruise Port or Tuan Chau International Cruise Port, covering all five day-tour routes as per Resolution 62/2017/NQ-HDND. The fee ranges from 300,000 to 600,000 VND for a 12-hour journey.
Coastal Ha Long Bay tour: Starting from Tuan Chau International Cruise Port or Ha Long International Cruise Port to Nam Cau Trang Port (for restaurant boats and other authorized vehicles). The fee ranges from 50,000 to 100,000 VND.
Previously, Tuan Chau International Cruise Port and Ha Long International Cruise Port increased the ticket prices and mooring fees for boats from April 1st. According to the management of the two ports, the passenger fee increased from 40,000 VND per person per trip to 60,000 VND per person per trip. Seniors receive a 50% discount, and children aged 7-15 receive a 20% discount.
For tourist boats, the service fee increased by 50,000 VND per trip; the security and public lighting fee increased by 100,000 VND per boat per month; and the mooring fee for boats increased from 6,300 VND per square meter of water surface per month to 9,000 VND per square meter per month.
With the increase in passenger tickets through the port, the Ha Long Bay sightseeing fee for each passenger increased from 440,000 VND to 460,000 VND for route 1 (310,000 VND for sightseeing and 150,000 VND for the boat ticket). For route 2, the ticket price increased from 490,000 VND to 510,000 VND (310,000 VND for sightseeing and 200,000 VND for the boat ticket). The 310,000 VND sightseeing ticket includes a 60,000 VND port fee collected by the ports.
The ancient town of Hoi An, the War Remnants Museum in Ho Chi Minh City, and the Cu Chi Tunnels are three representatives of Vietnam that made it to the list of the 25 most beloved tourist destinations in Asia, as voted by TripAdvisor readers.
Located along the Thu Bon River, Hoi An is famous for its iconic yellow ancient houses and rich traditional heritage, proudly ranking seventh on the list of the world-renowned travel guide platform.
Once a convergence point for Asian merchants, Hoi An leaves a lasting impression on many foreign visitors with its peaceful, rural charm, yet it does not lack unique experiences.
The War Remnants Museum on Vo Van Tan Street, District 3, Ho Chi Minh City, ranks 10th among the 25 most beloved tourist destinations in Asia.
Established in 1975, the museum is a must-visit for anyone interested in learning about Vietnamese history.
Photo: Miavn.
The museum houses more than 20,000 artifacts, images, and documentaries highlighting the most significant aspects of the Vietnamese people’s experiences during two wars.
TripAdvisor notes, “With engaging exhibits and useful information, visitors will gain the most authentic perspective on how the war impacted lives.”
Located about 60 kilometers northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, the Cu Chi Tunnels, a symbol of the protracted resistance of the Vietnamese army and people, ranks 14th among the 25 most beloved tourist destinations in Asia.
The tunnels were built in the late 1940s and endured many intense bombings in the 1960s.
Photo: SinhTour.
TripAdvisor writes, “The Cu Chi Tunnels offer an impressive and immersive adventure, allowing visitors to appreciate the historical significance and gain a deep understanding of the local culture.”
Meanwhile, Gardens by the Bay in Singapore is named the most beloved tourist attraction in Asia.
The investment firm is eager to flip the Senate for Republicans.
Multicoin Capital, one of the largest U.S. investment firms focused on cryptocurrency, is pledging up to $1 million to support Senate candidates with favorable views of the industry.
The investment manager plans to financially support four Republican candidates – Sam Brown in Nevada, David McCormick in Pennsylvania, Bernie Moreno in Ohio and Tim Sheehy in Montana – through donations to the conservative super political action committee (PAC) Sentinel Action Fund.
How much Multicoin gives depends on the outcome of Sentinel’s crypto donation drive. According to the group’s website, Multicoin will match 100% of (SOL) token donations sent to Sentinel by July 14. Gemini is hosting the group’s crypto donations portal and appears to be accepting a variety of tokens, including SOL.
“We’re doing this because we realize that political engagement matters, and it starts with supporting the candidates who believe America needs to remain free for innovation,” said Multicoin Managing Partner Kyle Samani in a statement.
Multicoin – as well as its leaders Samani and Tushar Jain – have previously supported pro-crypto candidates on a bipartisan basis. That isn’t changing with the donation to Sentinel, despite its status as a decidedly conservative group, a person familiar with the firm’s thinking said.
That said, Multicoin identified Sentinel as being aligned with its crypto interests by way of the specific candidates it is backing this cycle, the person said. These four republicans Sentinel is supporting all receive “A” ratings from the Coinbase-led crypto advocacy group Stand With Crypto.
These candidates’ opponents aren’t uniformly critical of cryptocurrency on the level of Elizabeth Warren, the Massachusetts senator despised by the crypto industry for her rhetoric of hosting an “anti-crypto army.” Three of the four are rated as “neutral” or better by Stand With Crypto, though Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown touts an “F.”
Still, Multicoin’s decision-makers are eager to invest in races that could flip the Senate to Republican control, the person said. Doing so would shift the balance of power in agency appointments and other key areas where crypto companies intersect with the federal government, such as the courts.
The matching pledge marks a high-profile test of Dialects’ recently debuted “Blink” technology, through which users of X can execute on-chain Solana transactions with their social media posts.
In this case, Blink will allow Solana users to donate to Sentinel through X (formerly Twitter). It will prompt donors to fill out required Federal Election Commission documentation, too, people familiar with the matter said.
The widely-followed sentiment metric hit extreme greed levels earlier in March near the local top of the crypto market, but now is pushing its limits in the opposite direction.
Crypto investor sentiment cratered to the most negative levels since the tail-end of the 2022 crypto winter as bitcoin’s (BTC) plunge below $54,000 pulled down digital asset markets.
The widely-followed Crypto Fear & Greed Index, created by data source Alternative.me, shows market enthusiasm towards bitcoin and other large cryptocurrencies, with 0 being extreme fear and 100 translating to extreme greed.
The gauge dropped to 29 on Friday, its deepest dive into the fear zone since early January 2023 when bitcoin was trading around $17,000 after 2022’s crushing bear market.
The metric notably sent out a contrarian sell signal this past March when it reached the 90 level at near what turned out to be (so far) the 2024 top of the broader crypto market and bitcoin’s all-time high of about $73,500. Since then, BTC and ether (ETH) are 25%-30% lower, while altcoin majors plunged around 50% and smaller tokens lost even more.
Is the bottom in?
Extreme levels of fear may present buying opportunities, but the reality is more nuanced with several factors to be considered.
The key catalysts behind the downturn was the unloading of seized bitcoin by German and U.S. governments, along with “preemptively selling” as the estate of defunct Japanese exchange Mt. Gox started to refund investors this month, Rachel Lin, CEO and co-founder of derivatives trading venue SynFutures, said in a market update.
The selling pressure is unlikely to abate in the short-term, she said. The German government still holds some $2.2 billion worth of BTC, the U.S. government has over $12 billion and the Mt. Gox estate has more than $8 billion of assets, data by blockchain tracing platform Arkham Intelligence shows.
“The direction of bitcoin in the coming days will be determined by the selling pressure from Mt. Gox users,” Lin added.
“The market expects most Mt. Gox users dump their tokens, but we might see a bounce back if the selling is lower than anticipated, she said. “On the other hand, if there is enough selling to push the price lower, we might be looking at the $50,000 level soon.”
Markus Thielen, founder of 10x Research trimmed his $55,000 price target to $50,000. “This situation may compel ETF holders and miners to liquidate more positions,” he said in an emailed note, adding that August and September are historically “challenging months” for bitcoin. However, he added, “if the Federal Reserve cuts interest rates in September, bitcoin could see another rally attempt.”
