The Hà Nội promotion agency in 2023 host many events to promote investment, trade and tourism throughout the country. Photo Courtesy of the Hà Nội Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Agency

HÀ NỘI — Championing the role and responsibilities as the focal agency for the city's investment, trade, and tourism promotion, the Hà Nội Trade, Tourism, and Investment Promotion Agency has proactively shaped plans for 2023. These plans encompass the deployment of various extensive series of activities, with the "Link to Grow" programme series standing out as an effective initiative bridging Hà Nội with neighbouring localities for investment promotion.

The inaugural event is the Investment, Trade, Tourism Promotion programme themed "Hà Nội and the Central Provinces - Connecting for Development - Link to Grow." This programme took place in Quảng Bình in July and includes a Connection programme facilitating trade between organizations, businesses, and investors.

More than 120 delegates, including departments, agencies, and branches from Hà Nội and provinces, domestic associations, and associations from Thailand and Laos, as well as nearly 30 import-export enterprises from Lao PDR and the Kingdom of Thailand, participated. Additionally, close to 80 production and trade enterprises from provinces and cities nationwide contributed to making this initiative a success.

Nguyễn Thị Mai Anh, Deputy Director of the Hà Nội Trade, Tourism, and Investment Promotion Agency, emphasised Hà Nội City's keen interest in attracting investments to the region and identifying opportunities for the broader dissemination of craft village products, OCOP (One Commune - One Product) products, and tourism offerings to provinces and cities nationwide. The city is actively streamlining procedures to entice both domestic and foreign investors while concurrently addressing impediments and challenges for businesses in the area, fostering effective production and business activities, and cultivating diverse collaborations with external partners.

In furtherance of these objectives, the Center in August organised the Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Conference, featuring an exhibition space showcasing exemplary products and goods from Hà Nội and provinces in the Red River Delta, with the theme "Connecting for Mutual Development - Link to Grow."

Approximately 230 delegates participated in the event, with 150 attendees at the conference and 80 participants in the connecting and trade programme. The event encompassed discussions and the signing of agreements, including Memoranda of Understanding and cooperation on investment promotion between domestic and foreign organisations, and business entities.

Within the programme's framework, a dedicated "Space for Exhibition, Promotion, and Introduction of Potential and Connection Opportunities between Hà Nội and Provinces in the Red River Delta" took place in Hạ Long City, Quảng Ninh Province, as part of the Trade Centre. The ribbon-cutting ceremony for the exhibition space marked the commencement of this dynamic initiative.

The Link to Grow Conference. Photo Courtesy of the Hà Nội Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Agency

The strategic connection between Hà Nội and the northwestern mountainous provinces of Việt Nam plays a pivotal role in advancing investment promotion and fostering economic development throughout the entire region. In furtherance of this objective, the Hà Nội Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Agency orchestrated an Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion Conference, seamlessly integrating an exhibition space showcasing distinctive products and goods from Hà Nội and the Northwestern mountainous provinces.

This event, titled "Link to Grow," took place in Lào Cai Province in November. Delegates participating in the programme delivered presentations covering the overall socio-economic landscape, the investment environment, key developmental focus areas, and exceptional potential for investment in Hà Nội, the Northwest region, and Lào Cai Province.

During the conference, three Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) were signed. The first was a Memorandum of Cooperation between the Hà Nội Association of Small and Medium Enterprises, Lao Cai Provincial Business Association, and Traphaco Sapa Company, aimed at expanding cooperative relationships, markets, and linking product development and distribution.

The second MOU was signed between HanoiTourist and Lao Cai Provincial Tourism Association, focusing on expanding cooperation in communication, promotion, exploitation, and development of tourism products, as well as linking efforts to attract tourists and promote connections for the development of Hà Nội - Lào Cai Tourism.

At the "Product Display Area" on the sidelines of the Connecting and Trading Activities during the conference, organisations, businesses, and investors engaged in vibrant interactions. Numerous businesses from various provinces and cities participated with the goal of showcasing, introducing, and promoting their products and services, fostering connections between investors, manufacturers, and distributors, and promoting product consumption in potential domestic and foreign markets.

As part of this comprehensive series of programmes, the Agency also curated an exhibition space for typical products and goods between Hà Nội and provinces in the Northwest region from November 23 to November 26, 2023. The exhibition, located at Street Space on a walking tour of Lào Cai City, Kim Tân, Lào Cai Province, spanned approximately 3,000 square meters.

This space featured displays introducing investment attraction potential, socio-economic data to promote investment and trade, and showcased the typical cultural and tourism image of Hà Nội. With 76 booths presenting products and services from investors and businesses in the Northwest provinces, the exhibition attracted significant attention from local and Chinese businesses, residents, and tourists. The estimated daily visitor count reached around 3,000 visitors per day.

In the closing months of the year, the Agency remained committed to orchestrating a series of Investment, Trade, and Tourism Promotion programmes under the theme "Hà Nội and Provinces in the Northern Key Economic Region - Connecting with Development - Link to Grow." These programmes were organised in Bắc Giang, Vĩnh Phúc, and Hà Nam provincé, featuring expansive exhibition spaces covering approximately 2,500 square metres.

These spaces included display areas that spotlight investment attraction potential and socio-economic data to foster investment and trade. Moreover, they aimed to showcase the distinctive cultural and tourism image of Hà Nội. Each event boasted around 80 booths featuring investors and businesses from Hà Nội and Hà Nam provinces within the Northern key economic region. The programmes in these three provinces are expected to facilitate connection and trade activities among organisations, businesses, and investors, anticipating active participation from numerous businesses across various provinces and cities.

The overarching objective is to promote investment, showcase products and services, and facilitate connections between investors, production units, and distributors, ultimately driving product consumption in potential domestic and foreign markets.

The "Link to Grow" programme series represents a significant stride in promoting investment and fostering economic development. It stands as a testament to the Agency's adaptability and creativity in the realm of investment, trade, and tourism promotion. Hà Nội's multifaceted role transcends its status as a large urban area; it serves as a compelling and robust focal point in international economic cooperation.

Looking ahead, the ongoing collaboration between Hà Nội and other localities is poised to unveil new opportunities, spanning from expanded investment cooperation to the further development of tourism and trade. "Link to Grow" transcends its identity as a mere programme; it symbolises a pivotal turning point, marking the ebbs and flows and the prosperity of Việt Nam's economy. VNS