Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has recently approved a legal assistance program for small-and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the 2021-2025 period. The programme aims to promote awareness and sense of legal compliance and reduce legal risks and obstacles of SMEs that account for majority of the country’s total businesses.

Under the programme, ministries, agencies and localities shall have to update policies and legal assistance programs for SMEs, collect all feedbacks regarding legal obstacles from SMEs and report to competent authorities for refining legal regulations.

Earlier on June 2019, the Government issued a Decree on legal assistance to SMEs which outlines supporting policies for household businesses which change their business model into SMEs, innovative SMEs, SMEs joining industrial links.

Up to 98 percent of Vietnamese businesses are SMEs (about 88,000 enterprises), making up 40 percent of GDP and 50 percent of employment (or 1.2 million job).

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, over 90 percent of them have been negatively affected./.

Mekong Delta farmers fret as fruit prices slump

Demand for fruits in the Mekong Delta is falling even as Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, and with large volumes of fruits entering the market, farmers are anxious.

The prices of a number of fruits such as green-skin pomelo, Nam Roi pomelo and well-known varieties of mango and star apple have declined sharply as a result instead of increasing as usual.

Nguyen Van Ngan, a farmer in Tien Giang Province usually earns a big income from selling fruits every year during Tet, but this year he is extremely worried.

He sold hundreds of kilograms of Lo Ren star apples to traders at very low prices: First class fruits only fetched VND32,000 (US$1.38) per kilogramme, VND18,000 ($0.78) less than last year.

The price of green-skin pomelo went down steeply as traders stopped buying at the farm and many farmers reluctantly sold to small traders at the Vinh Kim wholesale fruit market.

At traditional markets, it is being sold at just VND37,000 (US$1.6) per kilogramme, while last year fruits weighing 1.5 -1.7kg fetched VND85,000 (US$3.7).

“The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has made people tighten their belt,” Ngan said

Nguyen Trung Tinh of Vinh Long Province and Nguyen Van Nam of Can Tho City are also concerned since traders are not placing orders or demanding low prices.

The prices of many speciality fruits in the delta are sharply down. Dragon fruit prices tumbled by VND5,000 ($0.22) per kilogramme in the last three months to VND8,000 ($0.35) and that of tangerine by VND5,000 ($0.22)

According to Nam, fruit demand will soar from February 4, which corresponds to December 23 in Lunar calendar (traditionally called Kitchen Gods' Day) when people offer a variety of fresh fruits to revere the Kitchen Gods and prepare for Tet. 

Vietnam pushing digital payments between businesses

As one of the fastest-growing economies in Southeast Asia and with considerable volumes of FDI, Vietnam is adopting modern technology to enhance digital payments nationwide, global digital payment provider Visa has reported.

Visa’s Country Manager for Vietnam and Laos Dang Tuyet Dung said small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) now account for 98% of the 760,000 firms in Vietnam, and the application of modern payment methods would help them reach their anticipated levels of growth.

Some 67% of SMEs have changed their approach to operations since the COVID-19 outbreak struck, with 28% launching ads on social media, 27% selling products and services online, 20% arranging contactless payments, and 20% offering goods delivery.

She introduced the Visa corporate card, which helps firms optimise idle capital, thus saving on costs in the long run.

The card also offers cash redemptions and promotions to digitalise payments. Over 30 other financial service providers also offer discounts to card owners.

Cambodia re-considers decision to ban imports of farmed fish

Cambodia is in the process of re-considering its decision to temporarily ban four types of imported farmed fish from the nation following a request made by the Vietnamese side.

This comes after Cambodia temporarily moved to ban all imports of farmed fish from neighbouring countries in an effort to promote locally farmed fish.

According to Seang Thay, secretary of state of the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce and spokesman, after receiving a request from Vietnam, the Cambodian Ministry initiated efforts to work alongside the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries to adjust several technical issues.

Recently, Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Tuan Anh sent a letter to Cambodian Minister of Commerce Pan Sorasak, indicated that in line with general agreements on tariffs and trade, export and import restriction measures can only be applied in exceptional cases.

This includes issues relating to the protection of national security and public morals, protecting humans, animals, or plant life, natural resources, the environment as well as items of artistic, historic or archaeological value.

Therefore, the ban on imported farmed fish runs in contrast to the spirit of trade liberalisation detailed by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the ASEAN economic community.

Furthermore, the import ban not only heavily impacts seafood exporters and importers of both sides, but also the interests of Cambodian consumers.

Footwear sector further penetrates global supply chain

Vietnam’s footwear sector is now beginning to see positive signs after export revenue for footwear and handbags fell 11% year-on-year to US$19.5 billion in 2020, making it one of the sectors hardest hit by COVID-19.

Vietnamese companies have proved their capacity in research and development (R&D) and design, according to Chairman of the Vietnam Leather, Footwear and Handbag Association (LEFASO) Nguyen Duc Thuan.

Signs show that Vietnam is further penetrating into the leather-footwear supply chain, he said, as the design and R&D processes rake in high added value for products.

The domestic supply of materials for the sector now represents 60%. Local businesses can take the initiative in producing soles and moulds, as well as packaging and labelling. This is attributable to their activeness in manufacturing materials locally, Thuan added.

In particular, the Gia Dinh Footwear JSC has set up industrial clusters to attract investment in material production and workshops serving the industry. Its CEO Nguyen Chi Trung said orders for the footwear sector have been on an upward trend since the end of 2020.

As order numbers have recovered and are even on the rise, all workers have been able to return to production.

Shortages are likely, though, as there will be high demand for workers in April and May, Trung said.

Other businesses in the sector are also hoping that 2021 will see a surge in both orders and revenue thanks to advantages held post-pandemic.

Of particular note, the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement offers a major opportunity for Vietnam to bolster exports to the EU.

Footwear companies have been advised to pay due regard to sustainable development, most notably in environmental and labour issues, to devise suitable strategies.

Thuan noted that the sector has set a target of earning more than US$20 billion in exports this year, to offset losses posted in 2020.

Though China still accounts for half of the global footwear production, Vietnam’s exports to its northern neighbour surged 15% for the first time last year, he noted.

Vietnam amends IP law to meet FTA requirements

Vietnam passed the intellectual property law few months after the enforcement of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Vietnam’s Intellectual Property law is undergoing amendments to help the country comply with new treaty requirements under the recently-signed free trade agreements (FTAs).

In mid-January 2021, multiple ministries responsible for intellectual property (IP) issues hosted a workshop to consult on the draft law with IP owners, IP firms and IP associations, according to London-based Rouse, a global intellectual property leader.

The timeline will likely be another year to enactment of the law, with the next step being finalizing the draft following the workshop which was supported by the UK’s Prosperity Fund FSIP program and the British Embassy in Hanoi.

The draft law amendments will help Vietnam abide by regulations stipulated in the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EUVFTA), the UK-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (UKVFTA), the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RECP), said the company that operates as a closely integrated network 18 offices in 13 countries.

Nick Redfearn, Rouse’s deputy CEO, and Rouse Vietnam Office’s Country Manager Yen Vu have pointed out some of the amendments, as followed:

Copyright shows a means to resolve royalty disputes with Collective Management Organizations (CMOs), clarity on parallel imports of copyright works and exhaustion of rights of IP owners to prevent subsequent distribution, clarity on exceptions and limitations.

Trade marks help expand the definition to include sound marks, various procedural matters. The issue of bad faith was raised in the consultation.

Patents cover national security exception on certain patents proposed to be filed abroad, compensation for regulatory approach delays for pharma patents.

Designs include partial product designs to be allowed with various procedural amendments.

IP Enforcement of IP rights – a major proposal is to restrict administrative action for IP infringement.

Vietnam’s efforts

According to the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam, the revised IP Law was ratified by the National Assembly in June 2019 with an aim to timely legalize the obligations required in the CPTPP which took effect in Vietnam since January 2019.

Intellectual property-related contents in this law focus on five major groups of issues, including: (1) how to apply for registration of establishment of industrial property rights; (2) invention; (3) trademark; (4) geographical indications and (5) protection of intellectual property rights.

Impact of FTAs in IP law

Almost every member of the World Trade Organization (WTO) has had to reform their intellectual property laws in order to meet the minimum standards of protection that Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) prescribes.

Since the 1995 World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement on TRIPS, trade policy has been used to advance intellectual property rights rules internationally. The TRIPS agreement sets minimum standards for IPR protection and enforcement.

Exporters rejoice at surging tuna orders in January

Tuna exporters in the central provinces of Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh and Phu Yen said the number of tuna orders from the US, Canada, Brazil and Columbia in January rose significantly as compared to the same time last year.

As orders increased by four to five times, tuna export prices also climb by up to 30% over the previous month.

Last year, Vietnamese tuna appeared ideally placed to take advantage of the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), with shipments rising 0.5% year-on-year to US$126 million during January-November.

According to the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), tuna exports to Italy, Germany, and Spain rose 60%, 20%, and 41%, respectively.

Under the agreement, which came into effect on August 1, the EU has eliminated tariffs on fresh and frozen Vietnamese tuna, with 11,500 tonnes of canned tuna and 500 tonnes of canned fish balls benefiting from the exemption annually.

The bloc also removes tariffs on frozen tenderloin and fillets under a three-year roadmap, and on steamed tenderloin and fillets under a seven-year roadmap.

Vietnam concerned about Brazil’s rules on aquatic imports

The Vietnam Sanitary and Phytosanitary Notification Authority and Enquiry Point (SPS Vietnam Office) has expressed the country’s concern over Brazil’s application of regulations that go beyond international practices on shrimp and tra fish imported from Vietnam.

SPS Vietnam has asked the country’s permanent mission to the UN, the WTO, and other international organisations in Geneva to liaise with Brazil’s permanent mission to the WTO to convey Vietnam’s concern.

Deputy Director of SPS Vietnam Ngo Xuan Nam said the office proposed online bilateral meetings be held to discuss the issue and that necessary procedures be conducted to include Vietnam’s concern on the agenda of the Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures’ March session.

Regarding Brazil’s rules on fish and shrimp imports that do not match international practices, Ngo Hong Phong, Deputy Director of the National Agro-Forestry-Fisheries Quality Assurance Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, said Brazil is only permitting the use of phosphate food additives on the ice cover of aquatic products.

This regulation is not in line with standards issued by the UN’s Codex Alimentarius Commission and international practices, he noted, adding that other markets such as the EU, the US, and Canada allow the use of phosphates for aquatic products at certain levels and do not limit the use to the ice cover, he noted.

To facilitate bilateral trade, the Vietnamese side has asked Brazil to reconsider and align its regulations on phosphate use with the Codex standards and international practices.

Truong Dinh Hoe, Secretary General of the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers (VASEP), said Vietnam’s aquatic exports to Brazil topped US$44 million in 2020, including US$43 million from tra fish.

Though shipments to the South American country make up only a small proportion of Vietnam’s aquatic exports, it is considered a market with much room left for promoting tra fish exports. Therefore, the removal of regulations that fall outside of international practices will help Vietnamese businesses tap further into the market, Hoe said.

UK formally requests to join CPTPP

The UK made a formal request on February 1 to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), the first accession application by a member outside the 11 participating Pacific countries since the trade deal came into force in 2018.

International Trade Secretary Liz Truss voiced the request in a videoconference with New Zealand’s Trade Minister Damien O'Connor and Japan's minister in charge of CPTPP negotiations Nishimura Yasutoshi.

Japan and other signatories have welcomed the new development, seeing it as an impetus to expanding free trade based on high-standard investment and trade rules. The UK is expected to enter talks with CPTPP members in the spring.

Japan assumes the presidency of the CPTPP's decision-making body this year, while New Zealand is responsible for receiving accession requests as the depositary for the trade pact.

Once the decision-making body approves the start of the process for the UK's entry, a working-level group will be set up to proceed with accession talks.

In the negotiations, the UK will need to show that it can comply with CPTPP rules, while entering tariff negotiations on a bilateral basis with the current 11 members.

Its accession will ultimately need to be approved by consensus at the decision-making body.

China, the Republic of Korea, Taiwan (China) and Thailand have also expressed interest in joining the CPTPP.

The trade agreement covers 13 percent of global gross domestic product and groups Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam./.

Tien Giang province expands high-tech rice cultivation

The Mekong Delta province of Tien Giang will spend more than 34.5 billion VND (1.5 million USD) to expand high-tech rice growing areas to 4,000ha this year as part of an expansion plan to 2025.

Under the plan, which began last year, high-tech rice growing areas are located mostly in the major agricultural districts Cai Be, Cai Lay, Go Cong Tay and Go Cong Dong.

These areas grow high-quality rice varieties like Nang Hoa 9, Dai Thom 8, OM 4900, OM 5451 and ST 24.

The department has organised 200 training courses to provide advanced rice growing techniques to 6,000 farmers.

It has also established two high-tech rice growing processes that both grow rice under good agricultural practices (GAP) and use machines for cultivation.

Participating farmers are instructed to use advanced techniques known as “three reductions and three increases” and "one must and five reductions”.

The "one must and five reductions" technique uses certified seeds and reduces the number of seedlings, plant protection chemicals, nitrogenous fertilisers, irrigation, and post-harvest losses.

Farmers sow 100 kilogrammes of seeds per hectare and use certified seeds. They are also given guidance on how to sow rice under certain schedules to avoid damage from the brown plant hopper, which is the main rice pest and transmits disease.

Last year, the province spent more than 10.3 billion VND (446,000 USD) to implement the expansion project.

The money was used to buy machines and other items for agriculture co-operatives, organise rice-model demonstrations and training courses for farmers, and provide financial support for farmers to buy seeds and material inputs.

Forty percent of the cost of seeds and material inputs for farmers was paid by the project.

Last year, the province organised rice-model demonstrations on a total area of more than 40ha in the districts Cai Be, Cai Lay, Go Cong Dong and Go Cong Tay.

Rice planted under rice-model demonstrations had an average yield of 6.25 tonnes per hectare, up 200kg compared to normal fields. The production cost was 3,100 VND a kilo, down 295 VND a kilo compared to normal fields.

The profit from rice planted under rice-model demonstrations was 20 million VND (860 USD) per hectare a crop, up 4 million VND (170 USD) compared to normal fields.

Rice planted under this project is guaranteed outlets by rice companies./.

FPT earns 228.3 million USD in pre-tax profit last year

FPT Corporation achieved pre-tax profit of 5.26 trillion VND (228.3 million USD) on revenues of 29.83 trillion (1.29 billion USD) last year, a year-on-year increase of 12.8 percent and 7.6 percent, mainly driven by the digital transformation, overseas IT services and telecom.

Earnings per share of Vietnam’s leading information technology giant rose to 4,119 VND a share, up 12.3 percent.

IT fetched 16.81 trillion VND, 6.5 percent up, and telecom fetched 11.47 trillion VND up 10.3 percent, with the education and other investments took up the remaining five percent.

Revenues from digital transformation projects, a strategic activity for FPT, grew by 31 percent to 3.22 trillion VND.

IT services revenues and pre-tax profits from overseas markets were 12 trillion VND and 1.97 trillion VND, up 10.6 percent and 14.4 percent. Revenues from education jumped by 22 percent.

The year represented a great stride for the corporation in the international market as it signed large digital transformation consultancy contracts with some major companies.

It expanded globally, opening offices in Canada, the Middle East, India, and Costa Rica, bringing the number of its offices abroad to 52 in 25 countries and territories.

Domestic revenues reached 4.81 trillion VND, a fall of 2.6 percent, but pre-tax profits rose by around 7 percent to 267 billion VND./.

Vietnam attractive to franchisees, experts say

Vietnam will become an attractive destination for franchising businesses after the pandemic ends, experts have said.

Nguyen Tuan, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), told the ‘Start your own business with franchise model’ seminar in the city last week: “With its positive economic growth rate last year and a population of nearly 100 million, the future of franchising looks promising in Vietnam.”

Tuan said, “Besides bringing huge benefits to franchisors, the model also minimises the risk to franchisees.”

According to the International Franchise Association, Vietnam has become an attractive franchising destination, especially in sectors like food and beverages, education, health and nutrition, business services, hospitality, fashion, beauty and skin care, entertainment, and convenience stores.

Nguyen Phi Van, founder and chairwoman of Retail and Franchise Asia and founder and executive member of World Franchise Associates, said the franchising industry contributes 5-10 percent of GDP in countries where it is developed.

In the US, where it originated, the figure is 5.1 percent, and it is 10 percent in Canada, 9 percent in Australia and 9.7 percent in South Africa, she said.

In Asia, franchising is strongest in the Republic of Korea (7.8 percent of GDP), followed by Malaysia (6.3 percent), the Philippines (5 percent) and Singapore (3 percent).

In Malaysia it has been chosen by the government as a long-term strategy to develop SMEs -- by exporting business models and brands instead of exporting goods, Van said.

After the pandemic passes, franchising has the potential to develop strongly, she said.

But, to be successful, franchisees need to make sure they have good business plans and management, she said.

Vietnamese franchisees invest a lot of money to buy a franchise but not to build a management team to run it, she revealed.

To have a sustainable model, businesses must focus on brands and the business model, the operating platform, personnel training, supply chain, and technology platform, she added.

In Vietnam, well-established franchisees include Trung Nguyen Coffee, Pho 24, T&T, Cafe Bobby Brewers, Kinh Do Bakery, Wrap and Roll, Café Cong, AQ Silk, Shop and Go, and Highland’s Coffee.

The seminar was organised by the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre.

Ben Tre targets 6.23 pct. in export growth this year

The Mekong Delta province of Ben Tre will maintain high and sustainable growth in exports during 2021, setting its sights on 1.5 billion USD in export revenue, up 6.23 percent against 2020, according to Director of the provincial Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Van Be Sau.

Its January exports totalled 117.1 million USD, a 38.43 percent rise compared to the same period last year. The figure includes 83.5 million USD generated by foreign-invested enterprises, with the remainder contributed by domestic enterprises.

All export items, except for activated charcoal, experienced strong growth.

Shipments of industrial and handicraft products reached 91.6 million USD, accounting for the majority, or 78.24 percent, of total exports. Following were fruit and vegetables (16.8 million USD) and fisheries (8.66 million USD).

Be said Ben Tre has developed a plan for export growth between 2021 and 2025, in which turnover is to expand 13 percent annually and hit 2.6 billion USD by 2025.

The province aims to boost exports of high-value, hi-tech, and environmentally-friendly-products and reduce its shipments of raw, low-tech, and natural resource-intensive goods.

It has about 130 exporters and its products are found in 128 countries and territories.

Exports totalled more than 1.4 billion USD last year, 0.86 percent higher than the annual plan./.

Retail sales, consumer service revenue up ahead of Tet

Total retail sales of goods and revenue from consumer services in January are estimated at 479.9 trillion VND (nearly 20.77 billion USD), up 3.7 percent month-on-month and 6.4 percent year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Goods retail sales totalled 378.9 trillion VND, accounting for 79 percent of the total and up 4.1 percent month-on-month and 8.7 percent year-on-year.

Revenue from accommodation and food service stood at around 48.7 trillion VND, representing 10.1 percent of the total. It increased 2.7 percent against December but was down 4.1 percent against January 2020.

Tourism revenue was around 1.6 trillion VND, or 0.3 percent of the total, up 0.7 percent compared to December but down 62.2 percent year-on-year.

Earnings from other services were estimated at 50.7 trillion VND, accounting for 10.6 percent of the total and up 1.1 percent month-on-month and 7.3 percent year-on-year.

The GSO said retail sales and consumer services have become more vibrant as the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday nears.

Most enterprises, shopping centres, supermarkets, and business establishments have readied an abundant supply of goods and offered various promotional programmes to stimulate consumption ahead of the lunar new year, the office noted./.

Vietnam Rubber Group posts rising revenue and profit

The Vietnam Rubber Industry Group JSC reported 21.17 trillion VND (915.6 million USD) in revenue and 5.23 trillion VND in post-tax profit in 2020, year-on-year increases of 6.9 percent and 36.4 percent, respectively.

It had earlier targeted recording over 24.64 trillion VND in revenue and pre-tax profit of more than 4.9 trillion VND for 2020.

The company reported consolidated net revenue and post-tax profit in the fourth quarter of more than 9 trillion VND and nearly 3.2 trillion VND, up 27.1 percent and 90.1 percent year-on-year.

As of December 21, it had total assets of over 79.64 trillion VND, up 1.4 percent compared to January 1, 2020. Fixed assets were valued at more than 30.2 trillion VND.

It is now stepping up restructuring and rearranging its member companies.

It recently completed its divestment from the Sai Gon VRG Investment JSC by selling 9.34 million shares valued at some 1.32 trillion VND./.

Hanoi attracts over 15 mln USD in FDI in January

A total of 15.1 million USD worth of FDI was poured into Hanoi during January, according to the municipal Statistics Office.

Newly-registered and additional capital totalled 1.8 million USD and 300,000 USD, respectively, the office said.

Capital contributions and share purchases by foreign investors stood at nearly 13 million USD.

In order to complete its socio-economic development targets in 2021, municipal authorities have urgently implemented key tasks and measures in accordance with set plans, focusing on simplifying administrative procedures and building open mechanisms to lure more foreign investment flows.

The disbursement of State budget funds managed by the city has been accelerated, aiming to promote the construction of infrastructure projects.

Many transport infrastructure projects have been put into operation, while the construction of important transport projects was also kick-started in January to welcome the 13th National Party Congress./.

Vietnam likely to be top-performing Asian economy in 2020: CNBC

Vietnam is likely the top-performing Asian economy in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an article posted on the US-based CNBC website on January 28.

The article said that the feat was achieved without a single quarter of economic contraction at a time when many economies globally were weighed down by the pandemic.

Not every Asian economy has reported fourth-quarter and full-year economic numbers. But estimates compiled by CNBC from official sources and institutions such as the International Monetary Fund showed Vietnam outperforming all its regional peers last year.

The Vietnamese Government data showed that the country’s economy grew by 2.9 percent last year from a year ago.

Bank of America economists are optimistic that the country’s economic growth will accelerate this year.

The bank forecast the Vietnamese economy growing 9.3 percent in 2021 - a much higher growth rate than the 6.7 percent expansion projected by the World Bank.

Vietnam’s manufacturing sector was widely credited for the economy’s outperformance last year, with production growing on the back of steady export demand. That’s a trend that will persist in the coming years, said economists.

According to Fitch Solutions’ December report, there will see large scope for growth in Vietnamese exports in the years to come.

The Southeast Asian country has also inked several new trade agreements - such as with the UK and European Union - which could further boost trade flows, the consultancy said./.

Thailand hopes to welcomes 5 million foreign visitors in 2021

It is feasible Thailand could receive 5 million international arrivals this year, half the original forecast of 10 million, as the pandemic continues to ravage the tourism industry worldwide, according to the country's Tourism and Sports Ministry.

"If we can attract 5 million tourists this year under the current circumstances, that would be a success," said Phiphat Ratchakitprakarn, the Tourism and Sports Minister.

To reach 10 million arrivals, a significant number of conditions would have to be met in both Thailand and origin countries for tourists, he said.

As mass vaccinations are being rolled out worldwide, including in Thailand, the Tourism and Sports Ministry plans to hold discussions with the prime minister and the Public Health Ministry about the possibility of including tourism workers in the early stages of the vaccination programme.

Thailand is scheduled to administer vaccines to high-risk members of the population starting in February. Phiphat said people employed in the tourism industry such as hotel staff, drivers and workers at restaurants and spas based in major tourism destinations should be among the first groups to receive vaccinations.

The ministry urged the prime minister to allocate 5 million doses for this group, covering 2.5 million people total.

Such a vaccination programme would provide protection for local workers who are in contact with foreign visitors on a daily basis, he said.

The Ministry of Public Health is working on the vaccine passport framework, which may be operated either via an application or smart card, he said, adding once this scheme is ready, tourists around the world holding a certificate of COVID-19 inoculation could enter the country.

The Thai tourism was hit hard by COVID-19. The country welcomed only 6.7 million foreign tourists in 2020 as compared to 39.9 million recorded in 2019, and the number of visitors is said to fall to 5 million in 2021, with tourists’ spending decreasing to 260 billion THB (8.67 billion USD) in 2021 from 1.91 trillion THB in 2019./.

Car rental prices on the rise for Tet holiday

The demand for cars during the seven days of Tet (Lunar New Year) in Ha Noi is on the rise despite the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Do Toan, an owner of a car rental showroom in Xuan Dinh Ward said he had received deposits for almost 20 cars. As they were from regular customers and booked a month ago, the price is only 10 to 15 per cent higher than normal.

Toan said the rental prices for five-seat cars such as Hyundai Grand i10, Kia Morning, Toyota Vios, Nissan Sunny and Mazda3 increased from VND500,000-800,000 to VND650,000 to VND1.2 million a day.

The rental prices for seven-seat cars such as Toyota Innova, Mitsubishi Xpander, Suzuki Ertiga, Huyndai Santa Fe and Toyota Fortuner increased from VND800,000-VND1 million to VND900,000-VND1.4 million a day.

Since the Tet holiday is approaching and there is a scarcity of cars, the rental price has increased by nearly three times.

Showroom owners want to rent cars for seven or 10 days with preferential prices, as they want to have more time for their employees to enjoy the holiday.

On the car rental market this year, in addition to professional rental facilities, there are many individuals and organisations that rent out their cars during the festive season.

Phan Minh Thanh in Gia Lam District said that during the holidays, he will travel to many places and return home in Quynh Luu, Nghe An Province. The price is triple on weekdays.

He was offered a Kia Morning for 7 days for only VND5 million, averaging over VND700,000 a day. He said this is a good price for Tet as the supply does not meet demand, while on normal days this rental would cost from VND500,000 to VND600,000 a day.

However, with the development of the COVID-19 pandemic, the risk of local infections is high as people return home. Although he can rent a car, he does not know whether he can meet his family.

According to experts, although the annual sales of new cars have been around 400,000 in recent years, many people do not have their own car. Large families with children often choose rental services. However, renters should pay attention to avoid unnecessary risks in the car rental process, including the vehicle's documents.

They should also inspect the exterior and interior for scratches and damage. They can take pictures of any damage to avoid having to reimburse the owner. 

New Tet gift baskets to meet locals’ changing demands

Compared to years ago,Tet (Lunar New Year) gift packages are now being arranged and priced slightly differently.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected how locals are going about buying Tet gift baskets. New variations of gift baskets have been introduced to the market to meet customers’ changing demands.

Vegetable wholesale market Phien cho Xanh tu te, Tra Que Company and the e-commerce site FoodMa have collaborated to launch exclusive gift sets for the new year since the end of November 2020.

Multiple types of snacks are arranged in these sets, including dried-food candies, tea, wine and biscuits, among others, and priced from VND595,000 to 1,690,000 per box.

According to an update from FoodMap, the best-selling gift box set includes products with a mid-range price of VND895,000 per box. It has Dong Thap smoked beef jerky, Xuan Moc Chau oolong tea, salted-egg fish skin, Tien Giang mango wine, Can Tho chili garlic peanuts, and red packets, among other products.

Xuan Lan, 40, a resident of district 2, said that she appreciated gift boxes with products that are locally made.

“I used to love gift baskets with products shipped from overseas as a way to demonstrate wealth. With the COVID-19 pandemic and extreme weather events, I think it would be better to support each other,” she added.

Sustainability

Last year marked the first year that Gia Long Art Joint Stock Company in HCM City entered the Tet market with its green gift box.

General director of the company Lam Thuy Nguyen Hong said the green gift box was designed in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way so that customers can reuse the boxes. The company has received positive feedback from the market.

“We sold boxes of gifts but many people thought they were paintings since we had intentionally designed the box lid to be able to be hang up like a piece of art. The body of the box also had partitions to help it function like typical containers, which can be used to arrange goodies and make the house tidy,” she said.

This year, despite economic difficulties, the company would like its customers to continue pursuing the habit of using environmentally friendly products.

Hong recently had a chance to meet up with a company specialising in dried-food candies in Da Lat City at a business meeting between Lam Dong Province and the Sai Gon Entrepreneur Club.

“We have decided to do business with them. From just selling boxes, we will sell complete Tet gift sets with products inside. Our target audience will be companies that aim to purchase our sets in large quantities for their partners or employees. Our sets are affordable yet very high in quality,” Hong added.

Healthy options

CEO of Organica Investment Joint Stock Company Pham Phuong Thao predicted that these days locals prefer quality to quantity for Tet gift baskets.

To meet demand, Organica has launched several healthy Tet gift sets with organic products.

“Dried-fruit candies from orange peel and organic ginger are Organica’s new products for this year.” Thao said, adding that the company will make chung cake from specialty yellow flower sticky rice and garden pork as well.

Meanwhile, Thanh Nhan, owner of an online gift shop, said the number of locals seeking healthy and practical options is rising each day.

“We have sold many healthy gift baskets at different price ranges. Since the COVID-19 pandemic has sort of tightened people’s budget on buying gifts, we have introduced affordable options, starting from VND250,000 each,” she said.

Nhan said that in addition to traditional platforms such as markets or supermarkets, nowadays locals choose to shop online as they can preview all items in the basket easily.

This year, Vinmart has developed a home delivery system to meet local’s online shopping habits.

“Compared to earlier this year, the number of gift baskets sold has increased as most people have the tendency to purchase gifts two weeks prior to Lunar New Year. Recently, Vinmart offered a 15 per cent discount for companies with large quantity orders to boost sales," a representative of Vinmart said. 

COVID-19 creates opportunities for HR industry

The challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic have put a spotlight on corporate practices, and provided opportunities for businesses to utilise technology and the digital space to strengthen workplace processes and cultures.

Experts in an online forum on human resources (HR) held by RMIT University said HR management has come to the forefront during this time.

The experts said leaders across the world have shown great adaptability with the transition to online platforms and procedures due to the pandemic.

RMIT Human Resources Director Annie Gale said: "Perhaps one of the greatest shifts around the world was the introduction of flexible working as commonplace, which also encouraged HR teams to focus on flexibility in their own approaches."

She added: “New terminologies have become normalised and we have had to quickly create new policies and procedures around them.”

“At RMIT, we had to figure out how to enable an entire workforce to work from remote locations, and how to support people who didn’t have suitable spaces to work from or jobs that could be easily done from home.”

By introducing a formal flexible working framework, RMIT’s HR team were able to move the university forward in terms of inclusion, employee engagement and productivity.

Gale said: “It’s fair to say that we won’t see a return to compulsory full-time office working for the majority of roles," adding “I truly believe that flexible working can become an advantage for RMIT as well as other organisations to engage a more diverse and inclusive workforce.”

At the same time, Navigos Search Managing Director Nguyen Phuong Mai highlighted the evolution of HR roles that have moved away from handling only core business functions (like recruitment, workforce development, and compensation and benefits) and towards more involvement in the operations of other departments in the organisation.

She said: “HR teams are helping facilitate the review process in other departments so that they can reshape and get ready to bounce back after the pandemic.”

She added: “They advise department heads on restructuring job scopes, improving productivity, optimising costs, as well as constantly providing top leadership roles strategic HR plans to align with business changes.”

Mai said that the most sought-after HR professionals are those that possess a business mindset, have knowledge of HR information systems, and have experience in risk management and profit and loss management.

“HR candidates are expected to be the business advisors to balance employee benefits and the profit and productivity requirements of a company.”

Seeing COVID-19 travel restrictions put a barrier on international recruitment, making talent acquisition one of the most heavily impacted functions of HR teams worldwide last year, RMIT Talent Acquisition Manager Esther Walker said that the university had to provide stronger international mobility and onboarding support to foreign recruits, which involved more complex procedures to facilitate flights, quarantine, work permits and visas.

In 2020, the recruitment process at the university also went 100 per cent online which was a major shift for the recruitment practices of staff based locally.

Walker said: “We have been agile in the way we bring people, processes, connectivity and technology together to find the best way of working.”

The pandemic also opened more possibilities to apply artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) to modernise recruitment practices, according to JobHopin Founder and CEO Kevin Tung Nguyen.

Kevin Tung Nguyen, who was one of four Vietnamese people on the Forbes 30 Under 30 Asia 2019 list, said: “AI is able to source from selective job platforms and our talent pool of over 1.9 million unique talent profiles. Moreover, the data is compiled from real-time market updates and insights.”

He revealed that his company’s AI platform can screen 40,000 to 50,000 CVs per day, compared to 300 to 400 CVs if done by humans. This, he said has led to some of his big-corporate clients reporting up to an 85 per cent decrease in recruitment costs.

“For HR tech, especially in the field of recruitment, AI and deep learning are fields that we find particularly important going forward,” he said.

Source: VNA/VNN/VNS/SGGP/VOV/NDO/Dtinews/SGT/VIR