VietNamNet Bridge - Travel writer of Forbes, Laura Begley Bloom has interviewed 14 travel experts to pick 30 most affordable destinations to visit next year, including Vietnam.

 The Japanese Embassy in Vietnam has authorized some 30 travel firms in Hanoi and HCMC to receive visa applications from Vietnamese.

 A new exhibit has opened at the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History featuring 70 rare and exquisite clothing and other artefacts, taking visitors on an extravagant look back at the Nguyen Dynasty.

After years of discussions and negotiations, Danang and its neighbouring Quang Nam on December 21 inked an agreement on integrated management of the Vu Gia-Thu Bon river basin and Quang Nam-Danang coastline.

 The Christmas season now can be felt in all corners of Hanoi as churches, trade centres, stores and streets across the city have been decorated colourfully for the last few weeks.

 Sharply decreasing Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) output and increasing prices of new gas resources are forcing Vietnam to look to increase LNG imports.

 Experts, speaking at a recent conference in Hanoi, gave three scenarios for the 2017 domestic property market, with the most likely one being that the market will move sideways.

 The Ministry of Industry and Trade has agreed in principle to allow Kim Phuc Ha One Member Liability Limited Company to export 300,000 tonnes of steel furnace dust to China.

 MobiFone customers can download and pay with MobiFone Next, its new mobile payment app that works in stores, in app and online.

 Vietnam won their second gold medal at the 10th SEA Table Tennis Championships on December 22 in Indonesia.

 Vietnamese and Russian scientists met in a conference in Nha Trang city in the south central province of Khanh Hoa on December 22 to review their one-month voyage to survey marine biodiversity in the sea of Vietnam’s central region.

 Da Nang will organise numerous activities during New Year holidays, with an aim of attracting more tourists to the central city.

VietNamNet Bridge - The list of bankers who met with misfortune in 2016 includes many well-known names.

 VietNamNet Bridge - Watching the sunset on Bach Dang Wharf, taking photos or simply chatting with friends on Mong Bridge are pleasant experiences for visitors as well as residents. 

 The occupancy rate in operational industrial parks (IPs) across the country has reached 73 percent, according to the Economic Zone Management Department under the Ministry of Planning and Investment.

 Vietnam saw a trade surplus of 2.59 billion USD from the beginning of the year to December 15, according to the latest statistics of Vietnam Customs.

 Construction material manufacturer Viglacera Corporation on December 22 listed more than 65 million shares worth over 650 billion VND (28.2 million USD) on the Hanoi Stock Exchange (HNX), under the code VGC. 

 Vietnam’s tourism sector has made new records in 2016, said Nguyen Van Tuan, Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism at a press conference on December 22 in Hanoi.

 Former Thai Ambassador to Vietnam Panyarak Poolthu has pledged to make more contributions to enhancing the traditional friendship and strategic partnership between the two countries.

 A high-ranking delegation of the Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) paid a working visit to China from December 19-23 with a view to enhancing friendship and cooperation with the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).