Vietnam Ranks High in Economic Freedom Amid Global Uncertainty – Sep. 27

Vietnam enjoys rise up economic freedom rankings (Photo: Internet)

Vietnam enjoys rise up economic freedom rankings

Vietnam has climbed four spots to rank 106th among 165 countries and territories in the Economic Freedom of the World Index, as released by Canada’s Fraser Institute.

The rankings measure the degree of which both policies and institutions of countries are supportive of economic freedom. They consider five metrics – government size, legal system and property rights, currency stability, freedom to trade internationally, and regulation.

In the government size category, the country ranked 83rd, with a slight decrease in score from 6.56 to 6.53.

In the legal system and property rights category, it reached 77th spot, an increase from 4.96 to 5.15. This represents the first time that the country’s score has surpassed five in this category.

Regarding currency stability, Vietnam secured 128th position with its score rising from 6.96 to 7.02, cited VOV.

Vietnam made progress in international trade freedom, ranking 98th with its score rising from 6.4 to 6.52. In terms of the regulation of the credit market, labour market, and businesses, Vietnam finished 103rd with a slight score improvement from 6.08 to 6.10.

Singapore topped the list, followed by Hong Kong (China), Switzerland, New Zealand, and the US.

In Southeast Asia, Malaysia fell three notches to 56th, whilst Thailand rose eight to 64th and the Philippines dropped three to 70th.

Indonesia ranked 74th, marking a decline of one notch, Cambodia fell three to 78th, and Laos rose one to 107th.

The annual Economic Freedom of the World Index assesses the economic freedom of individuals and their ability to make their own economic decisions by analysing the policies and institutions of 165 jurisdictions.

Sapa, Can Tho among most attractive autumn destinations: The Travel

The Mekong Delta city of Can Tho and the northern town of Sa Pa have been named among the top 10 underrated Asia destinations for visitors to enjoy in winter by Canadian travel site The Travel.

Can Tho ranked sixth and Sa Pa seventh on the list.

Locating at the center of Mekong Delta, Can Tho is an excellent spot to visit in winter, according to The Travel.

“One can enjoy boat riding along the Mekong Delta and, at sunrise, pay a visit to the Floating Market, which guarantees a memorable experience,” it said.

Tourists can have a delicious breakfast before starting to stroll through the market which is filled up with fresh produce, including pumpkin, garlic and vegetables, it noted.

When talking about Can Tho, people still cannot help but think of famous places imbued with the cultural identity such as Ninh Kieu wharf and Cai Rang floating market. Among them, Cai Rang floating market has long been an enticing tourism feature of the locality. The market is the biggest of its kind in the Mekong Delta where trading on waterways has been a way of life for generations. It has been chosen as one of the 10 most impressive markets in the world by UK magazine Rough Guide.

Can Tho ranked sixth and Sa Pa seventh on the list.

Sa Pa is one of the top Asian destinations not to miss in autumn, according to The Travel. (Photo: VNA)

Locating at the center of Mekong Delta, Can Tho is an excellent spot to visit in winter, according to The Travel.

“One can enjoy boat riding along the Mekong Delta and, at sunrise, pay a visit to the Floating Market, which guarantees a memorable experience,” it said.

Tourists can have a delicious breakfast before starting to stroll through the market which is filled up with fresh produce, including pumpkin, garlic and vegetables, it noted.

When talking about Can Tho, people still cannot help but think of famous places imbued with the cultural identity such as Ninh Kieu wharf and Cai Rang floating market. Among them, Cai Rang floating market has long been an enticing tourism feature of the locality. The market is the biggest of its kind in the Mekong Delta where trading on waterways has been a way of life for generations. It has been chosen as one of the 10 most impressive markets in the world by UK magazine Rough Guide.

India strives to attract more Vietnamese tourists

Following the opening of nearly 50 direct flights each week, tourism activities between Vietnam and India have been significantly enhanced as the two sides still boast great potential for tourism promotion.

This statement was confirmed at a meeting held in Hanoi on September 25 among travel firms of both countries hosted by the Embassy of India in Vietnam.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam Sandeep Arya stated that India which boasts many attractive destinations would continue to promote fresh tourism products to Vietnamese travelers, in addition to traditional tours.

The South Asian country will continue to launch communication campaigns to popularize Indian tourism and cooperate alongside Vietnamese travel firms to increase efficiency and attract more Vietnamese tourists, he shared.

The diplomat added that until the end of the year the Indian Embassy in Vietnam would enhance tourism connections between the two countries through organizing FAM trips for travel firms.

Delegates at the event agreed that from the perspective of Vietnamese tourists, there remains little information available about Indian tourism. Many people view India as a pilgrimage tourist destination whilst some places are not safe at night, thus limiting the number of Vietnamese tourists to India.

In August this year the Indian state of Kerala welcomed Vietnamese businesses to survey tourism and build new products, VOV reported.

A meeting is held in Hanoi on September 25 among travel firms of both countries hosted by the Embassy of India in Vietnam.

Practicing yoga in India proved to be a very unique experience, whilst the food found in Kerala is quite suitable for Vietnamese people. This region has developed tourism for a long time and has attracted many European visitors. In addition, there is also a direct flight from Vietnam to Kerala, making it convenient for many Vietnamese tourists.

Vietnam shares many similarities in culture and destinations with India. Besides, Vietnamese tourists have more and more options for tours in India which is seen as one of the most attractive markets for Vietnam to target.

ASIAD 2023: Vietnam secure six medals in two competition days

The Vietnamese sports delegation secured six medals – one silver and four bronzes, after two days of competition at the 19th Asian Games (ASIAD 2023) in Hangzhou city of China’s Zhejiang province.

On September 25 alone, Vietnamese athletes brought home first silver and three bronze medals.

Shooter Ngo Hu Vuong excellently finished second in the men’s 10m air rifle target category with 571 points, surpassing his own achievements in the previous ASIAD which took place in Indonesia when he bagged a bronze medal.

Dwi Putra of Indonesia won the gold medal in this category with 578 points while Jeong You Jin of the Republic of Korea took the bronze medal after defeating Vietnamese athlete Nguyen Tuan Anh in the shoot-off round, VNA reported.

On September 25 alone, Vietnamese athletes bring home first silver and three bronze medals. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnamese rowers pocketed two bronze medals in the women’s quadruple sculls category and the women’s eight event, while Taekwondo fighters earned the third bronze medal in the mixed gender team’s event.

On the same day, Vietnamese gymnastics secured five spots in the final, hoping to earn more medals for the Vietnamese sports delegation.

Meanwhile, the Vietnamese women’s national team landed a convincing 6-1 victory over their Bangladeshi rival in their group stage match. This result gives Vietnam a significant advantage in the race to earn a ticket to the quarterfinals.

Air passenger surges 20% in first nine months

Among these passengers, the number of international travellers hit 23.7 million, representing an extraordinary growth rate of 267 per cent compared to the same period in 2022.

The number of passengers travelling by air in the first nine months of the year increased by 20 per cent compared to the same period in 2022, reaching 89 million, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV).

Among these passengers, the number of international travellers hit 23.7 million, representing an extraordinary growth rate of 267 per cent compared to the same period in 2022.

Domestic passengers amounted to 65.2 million, marking a modest decrease of 4 per cent over the same period last year, cited VNS.

Passengers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport in HCM CIty. Photo: VNS

Between January and September, Vietnamese airlines carried 44.1 million people, a year-on-year increase of 20.3 per cent. Of the total, there were 11.5 million international passengers, up 300 per cent from 2022.

The volume of domestic passengers reached 32.6 million, 4 per cent lower than the corresponding period last year.

Currently, five Vietnamese airlines are operating 67 routes connecting Hanoi, HCM City, and Da Nang with 19 other local airports, offering over 650 flights per day, the CAAV said.

In addition to increasing the frequency of operating existing routes, Vietnamese airlines have also launched some new routes such as Can Tho-Van Don and Hanoi-Ca Mau.

At the same time, they have also stepped up operations of flights to international destinations such as India and Australia, it said.

Contrary to a positive increase in the number of passengers, cargo transported by airlines in the period decreased 18 per cent year-on-year to 762,000 tonnes, the CAAV noted.