News / Scottish News by Megan McEachern October 4, 2019, 1:09 pm Sign up to our Weekly newsletter The North Coast 500 helped to boost the Scottish economy by more than £22m last year, a new major report has found. The study, conducted by the Moffat Centre for Tourism at Glasgow Caledonian University, found that the North Coast 500 generated more than £22.89million in Gross Value Added (GVA) throughout 2018. The report also found the iconic touring route had created 180 full time equivalent jobs in the North Highlands within the same time period. Also known as the NC500, the 516 mile-long (805km) route has become a highly popular destination with tourists, with a network of roads around the region’s north, east and west coasts. Launched as a tourism concept in 2015, the NC500 report also highlights an additional £13.46million in sales for accommodation, attraction, activity and retail businesses on or near the route in 2018. North Highlands … [Read more...] about North Coast 500 has helped ‘boost Scottish economy by £22m’
Economy
Vietnam pledges optimal conditions for UAE businesses
At the event (Photo: VNA) Speaking at the event, the UAE Minister of Economy Sultan Bin Saeed Al Mansoori emphasised that aside from promoting two-way trade, the UAE can serve as a strategic "gateway" for Vietnamese businesses looking to make inroads into the markets of other Middle East nations. Minister Al Mansoori noted that the UAE has always considered Vietnam to be an important partner, in addition to representing an attractive market in Southeast Asia. Apart from traditional investments such as logistics, ports, aviation, oil, and gas, the UAE side expressed a desire for businesses from both nations to parter and expand their investments in fields such as telecommunications and automobile. In order to fully tap the potential for future co-operation, the UAE Economic Minister suggested that both Governments should go ahead with greater efforts for trade facilitation and connect each nation’s businesses to boost friendly relations and bilateral cooperation. … [Read more...] about Vietnam pledges optimal conditions for UAE businesses
Vietnam rejects money laundering report as ‘inaccurate’
By Viet Anh  October 3, 2019 | 08:25 pm GMT+7 Stacks of Vietnamese cash at a commercial bank in Vietnam. Photo by VnExpress/Le Chi. A report saying Vietnam tops a list of countries by dollar value in illicit inflows is ‘inaccurate’, the Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said Thursday. Le Thi Thu Hang was responding to a request for comments on a January report by Washington DC-based think tank Global Financial Integrity, which said Vietnam tops the list of countries ranked by dollar value of illicit inflows in the 2006-2015 period at $22.5 billion. For the last several years, Vietnam has implemented many methods to build and complete legal frameworks, to apply international standards and abide by international recommendations and commitments to stop money laundering, Hang said at a press meeting. The Vietnamese government is clearly aware of the negative impacts of this phenomenon on the society and economy, she added. The country has the requisite legal … [Read more...] about Vietnam rejects money laundering report as ‘inaccurate’
Don’t stop the clock at midnight, nightlife seekers tell Hanoi
Tra Phuong and her friend were having a good time. They swayed to the tune of jazz melodies crooned by a French singer, not put off by the sounds of clinking glasses and exhortations of "zo zo tram phan tram" (Vietnamese for "bottoms up") coming from a nearby table. Phuong came to the bar after her dance lesson at 9 p.m. The marketing and sales professional ordered a glass of beer, then a cocktail and she and her friend enjoyed the live music while making small conversation. At 11:30 p.m., the band stopped playing. The sounds of chitchat and clinking of glasses continued, but these were getting feeble, too. A few minutes later, Phuong and her friend paid their bill and left. All entertainment and other business establishments in the capital city, bars, pubs, restaurants, shops starting winding down close to midnight, when Hanoi police patrols set out, reminding them to shut down, turn off electricity, clear motorbikes off the sidewalk street - a practice aimed at maintaining public … [Read more...] about Don’t stop the clock at midnight, nightlife seekers tell Hanoi
Vietwater 2019 set for Nov. in HCM City
Nguyen Hong Tien, Vice President and General Secretary of the Vietnam Water Supply Association, noted that Vietwater 2019 will be taking place simultaneously alongside the Waste Environment Technology Vietnam 2019 expo. With the aim of transforming urban areas and industrial parks into green spaces, the event is expected to introduce visitors to the cutting-edge technologies and equipment used in the waste and wastewater treatment industry. Most notably, a seminar themed “Urban Flooding - Current Status & Solutions” will run during the course of the event with the aim of discussing the real situations relating to drainage and flooding that often occurs in major cities nationwide, such as Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, the Institute of Urban and Industrial Environment of Vietnam, along with the Vietnam Urban Environment & Industrial Zone Association, are due to co-host a workshop on urban municipal and industrial solid water … [Read more...] about Vietwater 2019 set for Nov. in HCM City