A total of 5 trade fairs have taken place in Da Nang in 2022. They were Spring Fair, the International East-West Economic Corridor (EWEC) Trade and Tourism Fair, Vietnamese goods Fair, the Vietbuild Da Nang International Exhibition, Hoa Vang Agriculture Trade Show. These events have brought together more than 730 businesses with nearly 1,930 show booths.

The city will continue to take all necessary measures to support businesses to drive their post-COVID-19 recovery in the coming time. In the photo: Workers at the Pi Vina Da Nang Comanpany Limited located in Lien Chieu District. Photo: M.Q

The return of vibrant trade to Da Nang has had a positive impact on the city’s economy, thereby contributing to driving the recovery in the city's economy and promoting the city’s development under the theme 'Year of Safe Adaptation, Flexibility, Effective Control of COVID-19 and socio-economic recovery and development'.  The organization of the trade fairs has helped local businesses, especially small to medium enterprises ( SMEs ), cooperatives, and production establishments, promote their products, find their business partners, expand their consumer markets, as well as build and develop their brands.

Such products as My Phuong Toasted Coconut Cake, Dr Trung’s Dried Cordyceps Militaris, Mayaca Coffee, Hong Huong Fish Sauce, Ba Lieu’s Dried Sesame Seed Cake, Seaweed have gradually confirmed their position in the domestic and international markets through promoting them at fairs and exhibitions at home and abroad.

Da Nang has yielded positive results in promoting its products, connecting its products with domestic and international distribution channels, setting up display points, introducing One Commune One Product (OCOP) although the deployment of these programs has been accelerated since mid-2022.

Till date, the city have got 29 out of its 40 OCOP products onto retail shelves, including chain stores, mini supermarkets, specialty supermarkets, and traditional markets across the country.  In addition, 12 product groups of  9 enterprises have been sold at 5 large supermarkets and trade centers. In the near future, display and selling points for OCOP products will be set up at traditional markets, trade centers, and tourist attractions in the city.

Two selling points for OCOP products are preparing to open at the Hoa An and Cam Le traditional markets, both in Cam Le District while 2 others are under construction at Hoa Khanh Market in Lien Chieu District, and Phu Loc Market in Thanh Khe District. Besides, the city is encouraging the involvement of small traders in Nguyen Tri Phuong Market in Hai Chau District, and An Hai Bac Market in Son Tra District to operate selling points for these products in these venues. Especially the selling point at Han Market is getting an upgrade.

In its efforts to help the city’s exporters overcome difficulties, the city’s industry and trade sector has connected customers from Bulgaria, the United States, Japan, Switzerland and other countries around the world with suppliers and manufacturers in Da Nang, and Viet Nam as a whole. Heed has been paid to proposing activities to celebrate bilateral diplomatic relations with Laos, Cambodia, Japan and others. Importance has been attached to strengthening bilateral cooperation between Da Nang and European country in the 2022-2025 period with a focus on trade and export promotion.

In fact, innovations in the city’s trade promotions have been made over recent years. Most notably, the focus has been on connecting with customers at exhibitions, trade shows, product displays in the digital environment.

However, according to the city’s exporters, heading into 2023, countries across the globe will continue to face inflationary pressures, sharp fluctuations in the prices of gasoline, oil and input materials, and narrowed traditional large export and import markets due to many orders being canceled, postponed, negotiated for discounts. Therefore, the city’s industry and trade sector along with its exporters must conduct trade promotions both in-person and virtual events in accordance with reality. High priority must be given to strengthening linkages between domestic and international trade promotions based on long-term strategies to target the right customers for the city’s export products.

The associations, industries and exporters across the city highlighted the importance of participating in domestic and international fairs and exhibitions that will allow participants to find new customers, thereby helping them earn on opportunities to expand their business nationwide and worldwide.

Reporting by HAI AU – Translating by H.L