AEC Feed

South Korean business executives consider Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City the most investor-friendly out of 10 cities in China, Vietnam and three other Asian countries, a survey by the Korea Institute for Industrial Economics and Trade has found.

The other cities in the fray were Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai in India, Shanghai and Qingdao in China, Yangon in Myanmar, and Jakarta in Indonesia.

Hanoi topped the score with 3.86 points out of 5, while Ho Chi Minh City scored 3.81. Chengdu was third with 3.52, followed by Shanghai with 3.36 and Qingdao with 3.22 points.

According to the Vietnamese Foreign Investment Agency, South Korean firms were the biggest foreign direct investors in Vietnam last year with investments of US$6.72 billion (Bt239 billion), accounting for almost 30 per cent of total FDI.

South Korean firms have invested more than $43.64 billion in 4,770 projects in Vietnam, accounting for nearly 18 per cent of the country’s FDI. – Viet Nam News

Singapore eyes 700,000 flights a year

Singapore could be handling 700,000 flights a year by the time Changi Airport Terminal 5 is up and running at the end of the next decade, according to Josephine Teo, senior minister of state for transport.

This is double the airline traffic that Changi Airport is handling now.

The number does not include aircraft that overfly Singapore, which also come under the responsibility of air-traffic controllers in the city-state. Singapore manages about 300,000 such flights a year, she said.

With traffic expected to surge, Singapore needs to invest in new air-traffic management systems and processes to ensure safe flights, she said.

It is also important for countries in the region to work closely together to ensure that flights can be managed efficiently. – The Straits Times

Philippines woos Muslim travellers

The Philippines has drawn up a package of initiatives to attract more Muslim holidaymakers, who are emerging as a greater force in global travel spending.

The country’s Tourism Department has teamed up with CrescentRating, a top authority on halal travel, to help build capabilities and resources as well as to launch a destination marketing campaign.

In the pipeline is a series of activities to increase awareness of the availability of halal food, mosques and other Muslim-friendly holiday experiences and facilities.

Close proximity to the large Muslim populations of Malaysia and Indonesia, coupled with a rich, diverse culture, makes the country an attractive destination for families keen to explore it.

However, it has a lot of catching up to do compared with its neighbours when it comes to attracting Muslim travellers, now widely recognised as a key growth tourism market projected to be worth US$200 billion (Bt7.1 trillion) by 2020. – Philippine Daily Inquirer