The Vietnam-Cambodia Economic Product Exhibition was a superb opportunity for Kien Giang province to show off its distinct products

In the face of complex international economic outlook, businesses based in Kien Giang have tried their best to surmount difficulties, and availed themselves of opportunities from Vietnam’s free trade agreements to expand business at home and abroad.

These efforts have diversified markets and generated practical results, according to the Kien Giang Centre for Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion (KITRA).

It has fostered cooperation with departments, sectors, and local areas, as well as encouraged businesses to partake in diverse promotion schemes such as joining trade fairs, seminars, conferences, and forums in locations across the country and even abroad.

The centre hosted a display area to introduce distinct One Commune, One Product items and typical rural industrial products of the province at the Vietnam-Cambodia Economic Product Exhibition in Phnom Penh.

The event, running from October 24-30, was organised by the Economic Department under the Ministry of Defence, in tandem with the Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) and relevant ministries and sectors in Cambodia.

At the exhibition, more than 35 distinct products, such as Phu Quoc fish sauce, dried shrimp, canned fish, and pepper from 16 businesses and co-operatives were presented at the Kien Giang booth, attracting nearly 1,500 visitors. Participating businesses also secured contracts with local partners for dried shrimp exports, opening a fish source distribution agent in Cambodia, and more.

Trade development

Tran Bao Quoc, deputy director of Khai Hoan Trading JSC, said that in recent months, the company had accompanied the KITRA at many domestic and foreign trade events.

In particular, through a trade promotion event in Cambodia, 10 top fish source brands and Khai Hoan JSC had a meeting with the Vietnamese ambassador to Cambodia, providing an opportunity to present Phu Quoc fish sauce as well as receive support from the Ambassador to develop in the Cambodian market.

In addition, the fish sauce businesses held a working session with the Vietnamese Business Association in Cambodia and received positive signals and support for development.

“The KITRA as well as the local Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Department of Industry and Trade have been the driving force supporting local businesses to get back on the path for sustainable development in the future, and we appreciate that,” Quoc said.

In August, the KITRA led a group to Thailand to participate in Vietnamese Goods Week, hosted by the MoIT in cooperation with Thailand’s Central Group. The group consisted of businesses in diverse sectors meeting to discuss cooperative opportunities for trade and market expansion.

Also in August, the centre teamed up with Saigon Co.op Rach Gia to introduce Kien Giang’s products, assisting businesses based in the province to expand.

Consequently, many firms have inked contracts with Saigon Co.op Rach Gia with a view to putting their products on their supermarket shelves. These include Hong Chau Yen, which makes products from birds’ nests; Thanh Thanh Agricultural Services, which makes dried shrimp; and Phuc Khang Co-operative, which produces honey.

On September 14-17, the KITRA teamed up with the Kien Giang Department of Industry and Trade, as well as the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and local businesses, to partake in international agriculture trade fair Agroviet 23 in Hanoi, to present the province’s distinct products to visitors and northern businesses.

Kien Giang’s booths enticed nearly 1,500 visitors, and provincial businesses have inked contracts on product supply with fellow firms coming from other localities. Leveraging this wide range of activities, businesses at home and abroad have a good grip on the province’s advantage, and the myriad opportunities for investment and cooperation.

Increasing exposure

To shine a light on the province’s bountiful tourism potential, the KITRA has also teamed up with the tourism sector in the Mekong Delta to efficiently expedite market development plans to diversify tourism, as well as join promotion programmes of several key markets for outbound tours.

The centre joined efforts with the Mekong Delta Tourism Association (MDTA) and Tra Vinh Tourism Promotion Centre on a programme surveying diverse destinations, and a conference on tourism promotion to the delta region in Danang.

It has also collaborated with the MDTA and An Giang’s investment and trade centre to host a conference on delta region tourism promotion in Lao Cai, and cooperated with the Western Cluster of the Mekong Delta to host an exhibition area to promote Kien Giang tourism at the Ho Chi Minh City International Trade Exhibition in September.

These efforts have resulted in MoUs between Kien Giang’s businesses and business partners to expand tour itineraries to best avail of the province’s potential.

As regards to outbound tourism promotion, last month the KITRA worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs to organise a delegation participating in the Vietnamese Locality Promotion Programme in the United Kingdom, created by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Marking the occasion, the delegation brought exposure to the potential and strengths of the province in investment, trade, and tourism as well as seeking market expansion and trade connections with British localities and businesses.

Quang Xuan Lua, director of the KITRA, said that it would continue to support and create better conditions for the business community to actively participate in investment, trade, and tourism promotion at home and abroad as well as bringing local products into distribution systems inside and outside the province.

According to figures by Kien Giang People’s Committee, in the year to the end of October, Kien Giang’s economy continued to rebound with a fair growth level, in which trade and tourism services served as stellar points.

Accordingly, during the period, total retail sale and services revenues approximated $4.7 billion, reaching 95 per cent of the full-year plan and up 17.6 per cent on-year. Export value reached $719.5 million, hitting 83.6 per cent of the full-year plan and up 6.7 per cent.

As for tourism, 7.85 million visitors entered the province, reaching 94.7 per cent of the yearly plan and showing a 19 per cent jump on-year. International visitors saw a spike with over 548,000 arrivals, soaring 56.6 per cent over projections and more than triple compared to a year ago.

The province’s tourism sector generated more than $66 million in total revenue in the period, surpassing the full-year plan by 20.5 per cent and up 80 per cent compared to one year ago.