Total retail sales of goods and revenue from consumer services in January are estimated at VND479.9 trillion (nearly US$20.77 billion), up 3.7% month-on-month and 6.4% year-on-year, according to the General Statistics Office (GSO).

Goods retail sales totalled VND378.9 trillion, accounting for 79% of the total and up 4.1% month-on-month and 8.7% year-on-year.

Revenue from accommodation and food service stood at around VND48.7 trillion, representing 10.1% of the total. It increased 2.7% against December but was down 4.1% against January 2020.

Tourism revenue was around VND1.6 trillion, or 0.3% of the total, up 0.7% compared to December but down 62.2% year-on-year.

Earnings from other services were estimated at VND50.7 trillion, accounting for 10.6% of the total and up 1.1% month-on-month and 7.3% year-on-year.

The GSO said retail sales and consumer services have become more vibrant as the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday nears.

Most enterprises, shopping centres, supermarkets, and business establishments have readied an abundant supply of goods and offered various promotional programmes to stimulate consumption ahead of the lunar new year, the office noted.