Vietnam news in brief - February 10

Halong and Phu Quoc welcome int’l visitors on the first day of Lunar New Year

On the morning of the first day of the Lunar New Year, nearly 300 Korean tourists arrived in Halong Bay, in the northern province of Quang Ninh, bringing hopes for an increase in international visitors to the region in the early days of the new year. The year 2024 is expected to see a strong recovery. The number of registered port calls currently stands at nearly 60 trips with over 70,000 passengers. The cruise ships registered for port calls in 2024 belong to many well-known international brand. On February 9 (the 30th day of the Lunar New Year), Phu Quoc Island (the southern province of Kien Giang) welcomed the Aida Bella cruise ship carrying 1,979 European passengers, with over 90% being German nationals. In January, the island welcomed over 500,000 visitors, including 82,615 international tourists.

Tourists enjoy Hue's Tet holiday on open-top buses for free

Visitors are experiencing the city of Hue on double-decker bus. Photo: Thuathienhue newspaper

On the first day of the Lunar New Year, 84 domestic tourists and foreign visitors from countries such as Mexico, France, and Germany experienced the city of Hue on two open-top double-decker buses with a 5km route. These were the first guests of the Year of the Dragon to receive free tickets from Vietnam- Hanoi Tourism JSC - Hue branch.

Vietnam's coffee exports doubled in January 

According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, in January 2024, coffee exports reached 230,000 tons with a value of US$623 million, a 61.6% increase in volume and a 100.3% increase in value compared to the same period in 2023. As the Tet holiday approached in 2024, the average coffee price in the Central Highlands provinces continued to rise compared to the previous week. Coffee is being purchased at prices ranging from VND78,200 (US$3.2) to VND79,400 per kilogram. With the current upward price trend, domestic coffee prices are likely to exceed VND80,000 ($3.27)per kilogram soon.

Senegal ready to cooperate with Vietnam in addressing global issues

Senegalese President Macky Sall affirmed that this African country is ready to cooperate with countries and Vietnam to address global challenges such as health crises, climate change, regional conflicts, political tensions, and terrorism. This statement was made by Macky Sall after receiving a Letter of Credence from Vietnamese President Vo Van Thuong, delivered by Vietnamese Ambassador to Senegal, residing in Algeria, Tran Quoc Khanh. The President expressed the desire for Ambassador Tran Quoc Khanh to make positive contributions to the development of friendly relations and cooperation between Senegal and Vietnam. 

Trade relations between Vietnam and Senegal have experienced significant growth in recent years, reaching approximately $70 million per year. Currently, there are about 2,000 Vietnamese nationals living and doing business in Senegal.