Sunday, January 30, 2011

Caravelle acquires Mercedes-Benz in-car Hotspot E-Class

(From left) Nguyen Van Duc, general director of Haxaco; Udo Loersch general director of Mercedes-Benz Vietnam; Martyn Davies, general director of Chains Caravelle Hotel Joint Venture Co. Ltd., and John Gardner, general manager of the Caravelle Hotel, shake hands for the long-term cooperation - Photo: Uyen Phuong
HCMC – The Caravelle Hotel in downtown HCMC has become the first customer of Mercedes-Benz in-car hotspot, which makes it possible for passengers to use the Internet and email wirelessly and rapidly while on the road.

Haxaco, a dealer of Mercedes-Benz Vietnam (MBV), has handed over two Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedans to the five-star hotel. With these two top-of-the-line E-Class vehicles, the Caravelle Hotel now has the latest models of Mercedes-Benz to replace and increase its existing fleet.

John Gardner, general manager of the Caravelle Hotel, says in a statement that the two state-of-the-art sedans fit well with the hotel’s policy of bringing comfort to customers and protecting the environment.

“We are proud to further update our fleet with the latest model E-Class cars with environmental features consistent with our own environmental policies and inbuilt WiFi for complimentary Internet access for our guests,” he said. He also notes that his hotel has worked closely with Mercedes-Benz for the last several years as the supplier of vehicles.

The two E-Class sedans are the first updates for the Caravelle hotel, to be followed by another fleet expansion soon in 2011.

John Gardner, general manager of the Caravelle Hotel, enjoy the in-car hotspot
The updating of the new Mercedes-Benz fleet is a continuation of long-term co-operation and trustworthiness of the Caravelle Hotel to Mercedes-Benz.

The automaker says it has continuously introduced new innovations to its cars, especially those supplied to top-rated hotels.

“Mercedes-Benz has strong cooperation with five-star hotels and resort chains all over the world. We not only provide top image via our innovative cars and brand, but also integrate innovative features to provide the best solutions for our partners. Like this time, we integrate the hotspot to satisfy the demand of the Caravelle’s needs to provide internet and email service for their customers in car,” said Udo Loersch, general director of Mercedes-Benz Vienam.

The Caravelle’s progressive approach to Wi-Fi means clients can now log in before they check in the room. Even in their transportation of guest, the Caravelle has made Internet service available. And now, with the hotspot from Mercedes, the internet and email in-car service is more and more improved which will bring more convenience and satisfaction to their customers.

Hotspot is a device to transfer data wirelessly that can be installed in car and is technically connected with the car’s roof aerial. All one needs is a WLAN terminal device such as a laptop or smart phone and a SIM card that allows data communication.

The system supports rapid and stable connection to the most familiar data network through the car’s roof aerial. This hotspot with SIM card will be installed in the car by Mercedes-Benz technicians. Then rear passengers can get in-car wireless Internet on the move on their laptop or mobile phone everywhere, at any time. 

E-Class is the top luxury sedan, and is also currently the most luxurious business sedan made in Vietnam. Beside the top image with luxury eye-catching design, E-Class with top-of-the-line technology gives passengers top safety, superlative comfort and a peaceful feeling, just like sitting in a luxurious room of a five-star hotel.

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Thai Airways to connect more Vietnam-Europe flights

Airways highlights the carrier’s more offers for passengers in Vietnam on Monday - Photo: Mong Binh
HCMC - Thai Airways International will offer more connectivity for its flights from Vietnam and its Suvarnabhumi Airport hub in Bangkok to European destinations from the winter schedule to respond to increasing demand from this market.

Karun Sirarojanakul, general manager of Thai Airways in Vietnam, told the Daily Monday that all the two daily services operated by the carrier from HCMC from October 31 would have a good connecting time of around one hour with the Europe-bound flights in Bangkok.

Karun explained Thai Airways was not able to connect its current flights departing from HCMC in the morning with the flights from Bangkok in the early afternoon but would make it possible from the winter schedule as these flights would be conducted more than hour earlier, at around 10:20 a.m.

With the change to departure time, passengers from Thai Airways’ flights from HCMC will arrive at Suvarnabhumi Airport at 11:45 a.m. of the same days so they can board the flights the carrier operates from Bangkok to Europe, either in the early afternoon or in the evening.

Thai Airways has double daily services from Bangkok to London, Munich and Frankfurt, and 10 weekly flights to Paris. The airline currently operates four daily flights from Bangkok to HCMC and Hanoi, making it the biggest foreign full-serviced carrier active in Vietnam in terms of frequencies.

In addition to Europe, Thai Airways is providing passengers in Vietnam with more connecting flights to Australia, Japan and other destinations in Asia as well as elsewhere in the world.

Karun said business people, expatriates living and working in Vietnam and tourists were the key passengers of Thai Airways’ flights from and to Vietnam, and the number of these passengers had been on rise in recent months.

Karun was supported by the figure released by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) that the January-September period saw the number of French visitors to Vietnam up 12% year-on-year to over 147,000, Australia by 27% to more than 205,000, and Japan by 18% to nearly 317,000.

Because of the rising demand, Thai Airways now uses the Airbus 330 plane with 305 seats for the flights to and from Vietnam, or nearly 60 seats more than on the carrier’s aircraft for this market months ago.         

Thai Airways estimated average seat capacity for its flights to and from Vietnam at 75% and is looking to 90% or higher when it prepares to launch two-way tickets starting from US$551 for the services from Vietnam to Europe and other destinations.

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First mega office deepens Coldwell Banker presence in Vietnam

Chi Edward (R) of Coldwell Banker Vietnam introduces The Bayview Towers in Halong on the opening day of the mega office in HCMC - Photo: Mong Binh
HCMC - Minh Viet Investment Corp., the owner of Coldwell Banker Vietnam, on Monday inaugurated a first mega office operating under the global real estate brand in downtown HCMC.

The office at the Rosana Building in District 1 marked a deepened presence of a world  leading real estate brand that the U.S.-based Realogy Corp. has transferred the exclusive master rights of the brand in Vietnam to Minh Viet.

Chi Edward, chief executive officer of Coldwell Banker Vietnam, told reporters after the opening of the office that Minh Viet gained the exclusive master rights for the whole Vietnamese market in August this year after months of negotiations.

Edward did not disclose the value of the deal. However, he told the Daily that the company invested VND20 billion (over US$1 million) or more in this brand under a 25-year contract valid for the Vietnamese market and that Minh Viet held the option to extend the contract.

Edward confirmed Minh Viet as the master franchisor had the sole right to development, management and transfer of the Coldwell Banker brand in Vietnam. Minh Viet will not franchise the brand at least two years from now, he added.

The office will serve as the nerve center for Coldwell Banker’s development of national and international activities as well as provide the certified brand, tools, training and support necessary for the market and value-adding full-service real estate solutions to clients.

The areas of expertise provided by Coldwell Banker Vietnam cover commercial and residential real estate brokerage, consultancy, investment, facilities management, advertising, research, property valuation, marketing as well as sales, management and career training.

Edward said Coldwell Banker Vietnam would put emphasis on training and had worked with foreign experts to design around 42 programs on real estate trading and management for this market.

Edward ranked Vietnam after Singapore for the property market prospects in Southeast Asia and in the list of top five markets in Asia. He said an example of this was that the Coldwell Banker chief executives worldwide recently convened in the U.S. to watch his presentation on real estate developments in Vietnam in the coming decade.

Edward said more than 10 investors and developers had contacted Coldwell Banker Vietnam to have their properties managed and operated under the brand.

Coldwell Banker Vietnam is working with Minh Viet’s branding and business development team while acquiring exclusive marketing and distribution rights for the developers’ ongoing projects. These include commercial and residential listings for Tricon Towers in Hanoi, The Bayview Towers in Halong and the upcoming Song Ngoc in HCMC.

Edward said the Tricon and The Bayview under construction had investment capital of VND5 trillion (around US$256 million) and nearly VND1.8 trillion (more than US$92 million). The Song Ngoc project requires VND1.3 trillion and is expected to get off the ground in the first quarter of next year.

Coldwell Banker has a 104-year track record of success, 3,600 offices and 97,000 professionals worldwide.

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Vietnam’s business confidence index rebounds

Vietnam’s business confidence index (BCI) rebounded in the third
quarter, up three points over the last quarter and 37 points against the
third quarter in 2008.


The survey was conducted by Vietnam World Vest Base Financial
Intelligence Services (WVB FISL) and the PetroVietnam Finance Investment
and Consultancy Company (PVFC Invest).


After
surveying 262 companies in 11 key industries of the country (of which
over 70 percent were medium and small-sized businesses), the result
signalled a recovery and improved investment potential for Vietnam’s
economy in the near future, compared with the first six months of the
year.


When asked to make a forecast about the
country’s economy in the next 12 months, 84.35 percent of those
interviewed said the economy would be better and none believed they
would see a worse economy than during the past six months.


Compared with the second quarter, the number of optimistic businesses
increased by 7.19 percent and that of pessimistic ones decreased by
1.85 percent.


As many as 60 percent would increase
their employment and invest more in fixed assets while 72 percent
believed that their revenues and profits would rise in the next 12
months, the survey said.


However, over the last
quarter, the number of businesses who were worried about revenues and
profits were up 0.06 percent and 1.96 percent, respectively.


The result also showed that many domestic businesses were still
concerned about the adverse effects to their business operations of
inflation and fluctuations in the exchange rate between the US dollar
and Vietnamese dong./.

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Vietnamese company builds trade centre in Laos

The Lao franchise of the Vietnamese An Phu joint stock company broke
ground for the construction of a commercial centre in Vientiane on
October 12 in the presence of Lao Permanent Deputy Prime Minister
Somsavad Lengsavad.


The That Luong complex has been
designed with a seven-storey and two-basement shopping centre, a
six-storey and two-basement block of buildings reserved for offices and
apartments for rent, and tree and entertainment parks.


The 58.68 million USD project is scheduled to be completed in December, 2012.


Vientiane Mayor Sombath Yialiheu said at the ground-breaking ceremony
that the project has helped boost relations between Laos and Vietnam.


Vietnamese Ambassador Ta Minh Chau emphasised that the project has
illustrated Vietnamese enterprises’ increasing interest in investment in
Laos and economic relations between the two countries have been faring
well.


The Bank for Investment and Development of
Vietnam (BIDV) representative took this opportunity to present Vientiane
with a check for 100,000 USD to help celebrate its 450 th founding
anniversary./.

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Business partners support competition reform

Business partners support competition reform

A partnership agreement called, “Corporate Alliance on Administrative
Procedures Reform and Competitiveness” was signed in Hanoi on October
12 by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) and the European
Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam (EuroCham).


In
announcing the agreement, the two organisations said they share a common
interest in promoting the business environment in Vietnam to
benefit businesses and stimulate economic growth.


The launch of the Corporate Alliance is a key step in providing a
platform to engage the private sector in building a strong network of
partners, mobilising resources to improve advocacy and support for
government-initiated administrative procedures reform, and improving
Vietnam ’s competitiveness at large.


“EuroCham
firmly believes in the power of partnerships and collaborative efforts
for a more competitive Vietnam and is fully committed to working
together with both government agencies and the corporate sector through
this initiative,” said Alain Cany, EuroCham Chairman.


VCCI and EuroCham will be the lead organisations in the alliance, and
other technical and corporate partners to provide business expertise,
financial resources and communications, he added.


Meanwhile, VCCI’s Vice Chairman Pham Gia Tuc said VCCI will work closely
with multinational corporations and national companies to identify,
design and implement alliance activities that leverage the strengths of
the corporate sector and improve Vietnam ’s business environment, and
especially its competitiveness.


Within the
framework of cooperation, EuroCham will provide professional knowledge,
resources and networks of members and partners at both national and
European Union levels.


The chamber will also
support government-initiated administrative reforms as a member of the
consultative council for administrative reforms, creating conditions for
cooperation between the alliance and EuroCham’s member businesses,
partners and European government institutions.


To
date, several EuroCham member companies have already committed to
supporting the alliance, including Holcim ( Vietnam ) Ltd., HSBC Bank (
Vietnam ) Ltd., FrieslandCampina Vietnam , GlaxoSmithKline Pte. Ltd.,
Mercedes-Benz Vietnam Ltd., Metro Cash & Carry Vietnam ,
Prudential Vietnam , Schneider Electronic Overseas Asia Pte. Ldt.,
Siemens Ltd. Vietnam , Standard Chartered Bank, Unilever Vietnam
and Sanofi-Aventies./.

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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Pilot training programme on primary bond market

A pilot training programme on the primary bond market and techniques
used in corporate bond issuance in Vietnam opened in Hanoi on
October 12.


During the three-day programme,
co-organised by the Vietnam Bond Market Association (VBMA) and the
International Finance Corporation (IFC), the trainees will study the
process of issuing corporate bonds under international standards and the
bond issuance in Vietnam .


The programme will
also deal with the development of international debt market and barriers
and shortcomings facing the Vietnamese corporate bond market.


The training aims to support the development of the primary bond
market, improve transparency and professionalism in the market as well
as minimise risks to the Vietnamese bond market.


After the pilot programme, VBMA will draw up a set of standards on
corporate bond issuance techniques and hold the course regularly for its
members and those who are about to enter the bond market in the near
future.


VBMA represents more than 60 banks,
securities companies, investment funds, insurance, fund management and
financial companies in Vietnam./.

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