Vietnam news in brief - June 4

Chinese tourists are the largest group of travelers to Vietnam in May

The General Statistics Office reported that Chinese tourists ranked first in the number of foreign arrivals to Vietnam in May, with nearly 357,200, followed by South Korea with more than 351,000 tourists.

Vietnam's stunning beaches, affordable costs and proximity have made it increasingly popular among Chinese visitors. 

Decrease in pyramid marketing companies 

The number of multi-level marketing businesses in Vietnam is currently 20, down from 67 in 2016, according to the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Vietnam has cracked down on illegal multi-level marketing companies over the past time. 

Nha Trang listed among world coastal cities for retirees

The American magazine Travel+Leisure has just listed Nha Trang City in the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa as one of the 8 most beautiful beach resorts in the world for retirees. The magazine appreciates the beauty of the city's beaches as well as the tourism advantage of being home to about 4,000 foreigners.

The rainy season in Nha Trang runs from September to December, while the dry season lasts from January to August. In an article, Expat Exchange founder and president Betsy Burlingame describe Nha Trang as a city with excellent public transportation, a vibrant nightlife, delicious food, and plenty of entertainment.

Nha Trang beach from above. Photo: Trung Nhan/The Hanoi Times

University of Health Science established

On June 3, Deputy Prime Minister Tran Hong Ha signed a decision to establish the University of Health Science based on the Faculty of Medicine at Vietnam National University - Ho Chi Minh City. It will be a public higher education institution located in the southern province of Binh Duong.

Reverse vending machines expanded nationwide to boost recycling

After four months of implementation, Central Retail Vietnam's system has collected 65,000 bottles and 14,000 aluminum cans from 12 reverse vending machines - Sparklomats - at GO! Mall centers in Ho Chi Minh City and surrounding areas. According to the cooperation agreement, starting in May 2024, Sparklo, the Al-powered global cleantech company, and the retailer will expand the project to install 86 recycling machines across the GO! system nationwide by the end of 2024.

Another credit package outlined for social housing

The Ministry of Construction has proposed a new credit package with interest rates 3-5% lower than commercial loans to motivate affordable housing, as part of the government's plan to build at least one million social housing units by 2030.

The proposed interest rate is lower than the current preferential loan package. This solution is proposed in the context that less than 1% of the VND120 trillion ($4.7 billion) credit package has been disbursed after more than a year. At present, 30 localities have announced a list of 72 projects eligible for the stimulus package.