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Category: Living

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest Living news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Go-Jek Indonesia to Partner With Peer-to-Peer Lending Firms

    Go-Jek Indonesia to Partner With Peer-to-Peer Lending Firms

    Indonesian ride-hailing and online payment company Go-Jek said on Tuesday (04/09) that it will partner with three peer-to-peer lending firms as the startup looks to expand its financial technology services in Southeast Asia’s biggest economy.

    Go-Jek, whose backers include Google and China’s Tencent Holdings, has grown rapidly since launching eight years ago in Indonesia, a country with a population of more than 250 million people.

    The company already offers a wide range of app-based services outside of ride-hailing, such as food delivery or movie tickets, as it competes with the other main ride-hailing app operating in Indonesia, Singapore-based Grab, which bought the Southeast Asian business of Uber Technologies earlier this year.

    Go-Jek said it had formed a strategic partnership with Indonesian peer-to-peer lenders Findaya, Dana Cita and Aktivaku.

    “We believe that a strong collaboration between financial services providers and technology companies can reach a wider range of people who have difficulty accessing financial services, such as unbanked communities,” Go-Jek president Andre Soelistyo said in a statement.

    P2P lending is an internet-based business where small-business owners or individuals usually without access to bank credit can seek loans – helping alleviate a financing shortfall estimated at more than $73 billion in Indonesia.

    The emergence of P2P lending platforms has so far been welcomed by Indonesia’s financial regulators which see them as offering a much needed service to cash-strapped businesses and consumers at a time when Indonesia’s economy has been hobbled by sluggish bank lending.

    “This collaboration is very positive to increase financial inclusion in Indonesia,” said Hendrikus Passagi, who oversees fintech at the Financial Services Authority (OJK).

    Go-Jek founder Nadiem Makarim said in August that the platform has 20 million to 25 million monthly users, for whom it processes more than 100 million transactions.

    Go-Jek’s payment system, known as Go-Pay, has emerged as one of the most popular mobile payment platforms in Indonesia and last year Go-Jek acquired three smaller payment system fintech firms.

    Go-Jek said the partnership with P2P lenders would be separate from its Go-Pay payment vertical.

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  • Asiana Airlines Korea appointed new president

    Asiana Airlines Korea appointed new president

    Kumho Asiana Group announced a personnel shift on Friday, with Han Chang-soo, head of Asiana IDT, an information and communication technology unit of the airliner group, being appointed as the new president of Asiana Airlines.

    Park Se-chang, a third-generation member of the Kumho Asiana founding family, succeeded Han as head of Asiana IDT.

    Park is the only son of Kumho Asiana Group Chairman Park Sam-koo and the current CEO of Kumho Asiana Group, a position that he took over in February 2016.

    The 43-year-old Park has held various positions since he joined the group in 2002, including at Kumho Tire, where he was the vice president.

    While the CEO of Kumho Asiana Group, Park led a task force dedicated to fourth industrial revolution technologies.

    Asiana Airlines’ new president, Han, joined the group in 1986 and was one of the employees that participated in the launch of the airline in 1988.

    From 2005, he worked in strategic planning in the airlines financial department before being appointed as the head of Asiana IDT in March 2015.

    Han’s appointment came after his predecessor Kim Soo-cheon offered to quit a day earlier.

  • Skilled staff shortage cramp Vietnam’s upscale hotels

    Skilled staff shortage cramp Vietnam’s upscale hotels

    Upscale Vietnam hotels are struggling to hire and retain skilled staff, as even those with hospitality training switch careers.

    Nguyen Huu Tho, chairman of Vietnam Tourism Association, estimated a 40 percent staff shortage in the hospitality industry.

    The hospitality industry is booming as tourist arrivals increase year after year and hotels spring up all over the country to meet rising demand.

    This also means a high demand for more staff, but hotels are struggling to find them, says Kenneth Atkinson, executive chairman of Grant Thornton Vietnam, market research firm.

    HotelJob.vn, one of the leading hospitality search services, is currently inviting applications for over 9,500 jobs, from janitors to managers.

    In tourism hotspots like Phu Quoc Island and Sapa, hotels are unable to get the staff they need, he said.

    In fact, many hotels all over the country are experiencing challenges in sourcing skilled Vietnamese persons to fill vacant positions, he said, adding that the shortage often results from people not continuing to pursue a career in hospitality despite being trained in the industry.

    The shortage has resulted in strong competition between upscale hotels in travel hot spots that are having trouble retaining staff. The high labor turnover in the industry is making things very difficult for hotel managers.

    In Nha Trang, the famous beach city in central Vietnam, the CEO of 4-star Rosaka Hotel, Nguyen Anh Vu, said he had to recruit new staff every month as they switch easily to whichever hotel is offering better wages and benefits.

    “Even lowering the standard doesn’t help me to recruit enough people,” Vo said.

    Nguyen Thi Hoa Le, chairwoman of the Peace Tour Company, said that even if staff at Phu Quoc are paid salaries 1.5 times higher than the average in other areas, it is very difficult to keep them.

    Low esteem

    One of the reasons for the skilled staff shortage is that the hospitality industry in Vietnam is not an attractive career path to many.

    “Many Vietnamese people commence in hospitality and then leave for other industries,” said Craig Douglas, chairman of the HR working group under the Advisory Board for the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

    “In many countries around the world, young people are excited and proud to work in hotels, but this is not generally the case in Vietnam, where service industries are somehow not regarded in the same way,” he said.

    Douglas also said that there is a shortage of qualified training schools relative to the growth in staff requirement at existing and new hotels.

    The average staff per room required for upscale hotels is between 1.3 and 1.5, he said.

    That means almost 25,000 employees are needed to service all 4-star and 5-star hotels that are operating or being built in Phu Quoc alone, he added.

    But, Le said, there is only one training school for tourism on the island.

    Le said that to have enough employees in Phu Quoc, she has to recruit staff from all over the country and invite experts to come and train them.

    ASEAN employees

    When there are no Vietnamese candidates available, employers will look to other employees from ASEAN countries like the Philippines and Malaysia, who have better language skills and are more price competitive, Atkinson said.

    The Mutual Recognition Arrangements for Tourism Professionals under the ASEAN Economic Community, which was established in 2015, has made it easier for hotels to employ staff from those countries, he added.

    He said hotels have to hire good staff in all circumstances, because a lack of skilled staff will make it difficult to provide quality service to the guests, Atkinson said.

    “If guests do not get the standard of service that they require then the industry will get a bad name internationally, which will negatively impact on the flow of foreign visitors and returning visitors to Vietnam,” he added.

    Last year, there were over 68,200 upscale hotel rooms, accounting for 13.4 percent of the total, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

    VNAT statistics also show a significant upsurge in the number of foreign visitors to Vietnam over the last few years.

    By the end of August this year, 10.4 million foreign visitors came to the country, up 22.8 percent year-on-year.

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  • Indonesia Pertamina Profits for First Half of 2018 Seen at Multi-Year Low

    Indonesia Pertamina Profits for First Half of 2018 Seen at Multi-Year Low

    Pertamina is expected to post its lowest first-half profit in four years for 2018, an official said, with the state energy company squeezed by government fuel polices, higher oil prices and a 9 percent slide in the rupiah.

    Net profit at Pertamina is expected to come in at less than Rp 5 trillion ($336 million) in the first six months of 2018, Deputy State-Owned Enterprises Minister Fajar Harry Sampurno said at the House of Representatives in Jakarta.

    The forecast was a result of oil prices climbing while Pertamina’s “downstream compensation was insufficient,” he said.

    The government, which sets the levels at which the company can sell oil products, has sought to shield the public from rising prices, promising not to raise some consumer fuel prices ahead of elections due in 2019.

    But the policy has dented Pertamina’s finances and cut its means of spending on much-needed infrastructure.

    The company’s latest forecast for its first-half profit is well below half of the company’s full-year 2018 targeted profit of Rp 33 trillion and its audited full-year 2017 profit of Rp 34 trillion, as reported in a legislative hearing on Thursday.

    Pertamina’s full-year profits have not been below $10 billion since at least 2005.

    The company’s previous chief executive was removed in April after repeated clashes with the government over fuel price controls that were estimated to have cost the company more than $1.4 billion last year.

    To ease pressure on the rupiah, which slipped to its lowest since 1998 this week, the government of President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has also asked Pertamina to rein in capital goods imports for infrastructure projects.

    “All projects that have not reached financial close will be delayed,” Fajar said, referring to his office’s latest “guidance” on Pertamina’s spending plans.

    Pertamina finance director Arief Budiman said the company was revising its 2018 profit target, as well as its work plans and budget.

    “It will likely decline,” Arief said, referring to Pertamina’s 2018 profit target revision, but not giving a figure.

    The company’s work plans and budget usually include operating expenditure but can also include capital spending plans.

    While higher oil prices have yielded Pertamina better returns from its oil and gas output, they have also increased Indonesia’s fuel bill, as a net oil importer, especially with the rupiah slumping.

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  • H&M to open first hypermarket store in S. Korea

    H&M to open first hypermarket store in S. Korea

    Swedish fashion label H&M is launching an outlet at the Homeplus Bucheon hypermarket in South Korea.

    The brand’s 29th Korean store, located to the West of Seoul, will open on September 20 and is its first hypermarket venture in the territory.

    The company’s first store inside a hypermarket marks a significant strategic step away from high street and fashion-first shopping malls in South Korea. Both H&M and Homeplus Bucheon believe the move will benefit both sides with increased foot traffic at the mall drawn in by the popular brand, while H&M can expect to gain easier access to families.

    The new store will span 1535sqm and retail men’s, women’s and kids’ clothing.

    The group has enjoyed considerable success in Korea, with revenues last year reaching KRW238.6 billion (US$213.5 million).

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  • Hong Kong high-speed rail link to Guangzhou ready to go

    Hong Kong high-speed rail link to Guangzhou ready to go

    The 26km Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link is set to debut on September 23, forecasting 80,100 passengers daily. The cross-border service will link the city to 44 destinations on mainland China.

    Last weekend, 20,000 people who obtained tickets last week were poised to catch a first glimpse of the station.

    On the first basement level, 23 counters will sell tickets to 44 mainland destinations, with various modes of payment accepted, such as Octopus, Alipay, WeChat Pay and Samsung Pay.

    Five counters will offer tickets to destinations in mainland China’s rail network or those beyond the 44 stops.

    Passengers can also buy tickets from 39 machines. However, the automated systems only accept home-return permits for Hong Kong and Macau residents as well as second-generation mainland resident IDs. Up to 10 tickets may be bought at a time.

    Those holding other travel documents are required to buy tickets from the counters.

    There are about 40 shops and a large food court located on-site. The nine Hong Kong-owned trains at the terminus do not offer food services in their carriages.

    Other shops will offer banking facilities, as well as souvenirs, fashion products and cosmetics. Brands include Sasa, Asia Favourites, Pocket Noir, Okashi Land, 7-Eleven and Mannings.

    Delayed three years and over budget by one-third of its total costs, the rail line has sparked controversy over a “co-location” arrangement allowing mainland officials to enforce their laws in a port area leased to them.

    A designated zone – including two office floors, a waiting hall for departing passengers, station platforms and connecting passageways and escalators, as well as train compartments – will be subject to mainland jurisdiction and laws.

    Supporters of the joint checkpoint plan have argued the plan would be more convenient for passengers as customs clearance would be consolidated. But critics say the arrangement contravenes the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution, which states that mainland legislation shall not apply on Hong Kong soil except in matters of defence, foreign affairs and those “outside the limits” of local autonomy.

    Mainland officials start work at the station today.

    This new connection is part of the bigger plan of interaction in the Greater Bay Area, and will definitely have an impact on the retail industry.

    The long-established business of Chinese visitors going to HK for shopping will now see the same flow of people going from HK to Shenzhen to chill out in the fast-developing so called megacity. Shenzhen is rapidly transforming and working on its infrastructure to welcome visitors, but also its growing population.

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  • Pricing incentive for Vietnam solar power projects extended

    Pricing incentive for Vietnam solar power projects extended

    A long-awaited proposal to extend a key pricing incentive for solar power projects in Ninh Thuan Province has been approved.

    The Government has issued Resolution No. 115/NQ-CP that allows solar power projects in the central province of Ninh Thuan to enjoy a feed-in tariff (FIT) of 9.35 cents per kilowatt-hour for a period of 20 years as long as they begin commercial operations by the end of 2020.

    This is an extension of the earlier commercial operation date (COD) deadline of June 30, 2019, applying to all localities, which was set by the Prime Minister’s Decision No.11/2017/QD-TTg.

    The extension of COD for Ninh Thuan, as specified in the new resolution, will hold good until projects that were approved by the Prime Minister reach a combined capacity of 2,000MW.

    The FIT for subsequent projects has not been finalized yet.

    Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan are central provinces that have the greatest potential for renewable energy in the country.

    The COD extension is part of a package of incentives the Government is offering Ninh Thuan to support its 2018-2023 development, based on a proposal by the Ministry of Planning and Investment (MPI).

    The MPI first submitted to the Government a COD extension proposal for Ninh Thuan in early July, but later in the month, the Government Office issued Official Letter No. 7108 stating that the deadline remains unchanged.

    The new resolution has given investors hope that the COD deadline would also be extended to other localities later this year, an industry expert said.

    FITs are payments made for supplying renewable energy to the national grid.

    Recent innovations in solar power technology that have helped bring down production costs dramatically have made Vietnam’s 9.35 cents per kilowatt hour tariff attractive to private investors.

    Hundreds of private investors have submitted proposals to set up solar farms, but the June 30, 2019 deadline was too tight, energy experts had said.

    The projects can get entangled in land acquisition hiccups, procedural lags and a lack of master zoning plans for solar power development at the national and provincial levels, they added.

    There were also concerns over infrastructure needed for the solar power projects to connect to the national grid.

    There are no definitive answers now to questions about pricing for solar power connected to the grid after the end of 2020 in Ninh Thuan and after June 30, 2019 in other provinces.

    How the FITs are decided after June 30, 2019 could depend on what technology prices will be at a specific period of time, according to the Electricity Regulatory Authority of Vietnam (ERAV).

    Meanwhile, power authorities are considering piloting auctions as an alternative option to FITs after June 2019.

    ERAV has sought World Bank assistance and hired consultants to study auction mechanisms.

    Bidders offering the lowest prices to the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN), the country’s sole power distributor, will be awarded development contracts.

    MoIT has approved around 70 solar projects with a total capacity of over 3,000 megawatts to be commissioned before June 30, 2019.

    Vietnam currently relies largely on hydropower and thermal power plants for its electricity demands, but these have drawn frequent domestic and international criticism for their social and environmental impacts.

    Solar accounts for just 0.01 percent of the power output, but the government plans to increase this ratio to 3.3 percent by 2030 and 20 percent by 2050.

    By 2030 Vietnam aims to produce 10.7 percent of its electricity from renewable sources, with wind energy being the other main option.

  • Malaysia ahead of US in global Chinese tourist transactions

    Malaysia ahead of US in global Chinese tourist transactions

    Malaysia has climbed ahead of the US to become the ninth largest market worldwide for Chinese tourists’ spending overseas.

    This was recorded during China’s summer holidays, which took place between July 1 and Aug 31 this year.

    According to Alipay, a mobile and online payment platform offered by Ant Financial, the volume of transactions made by Chinese tourist using Alipay in Malaysia grew five times this year compared to the same period in 2017. This growth also makes Malaysia the only other Asian country apart from Cambodia to make the top 10 list.

    “Malaysia is a hotspot for Chinese tourists. When we established our network with Malaysian merchants in May last year, we looked forward to seeing both Chinese tourists and local businesses mutually benefit from our presence.

    Today, Chinese travellers can continue enjoying the smart lifestyle they enjoy back home, and Malaysian merchants are able to expand on their service offerings and see profit with Alipay,” said Cherry Huang, general manager, cross-border business for South and Southeast Asia Alipay.

    The two-month annual holiday period celebrated in China saw Alipay process almost three times as many in-store overseas transactions than during the 2017 summer break. It also saw a 43% increase in the average per-capita spend per user this year, going from RMB2,073 (RM1,257) to RMB2,955 (RM1,792).

    China was the third largest source of tourist arrivals (at 2.28 million) for Malaysia in 2017 and more tourists are expected to arrive over the years. Alipay’s presence locally allows merchants to leverage on Chinese tourists’ preference for cashless payments. This is evidenced by Nielsen’s findings highlighting that 99% of Chinese tourists have Alipay installed on their devices, with over 90% preferring mobile payments abroad given the option.

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  • Tesco transform recycled plastic into a car park

    Tesco transform recycled plastic into a car park

    Tesco Extra has resurfaced a store car park using the equivalent weight of 225,000 plastic carry bags, saving 900kg of plastics going to landfill.

    The partnership with plastic road company MacRebur, is part of a broader Tesco initiative to improve its sustainability record, including looking for ways to reuse waste plastic, reduce carbon and promote a sustainable closed-loop system. More than 84 per cent of the packaging on the grocer’s own-brand products is recyclable, depending on local authorities collecting it.

    MacRebur carefully selected plastics, taken from old rubbish, which it adds to road paving to improve strength and durability, whilst reducing the quantity of the oil-based bitumen used in traditional road mix.

    The Tesco Extra Cuckoo Bridge car park was resurfaced using waste plastics that would have been destined for landfill or incineration. These are added into an asphalt mix without the need to alter the existing equipment used to make and install the asphalt.

    Tesco will be testing this new road surface out at the Cuckoo Bridge store through the winter and hopes to work with MacRebur on future projects to help reuse waste plastic.

    MacRebur is based in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. For every 10 tonnes of asphalt made with their additives included, they use the equivalent of 71,432 plastic bottles or 435,592 single-use plastic bags, or 32,399 used nappies. Ten tonnes of asphalt would surface about 90sqm.

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  • Phuong Nam makes distress sale of stakes in CGV cinemas

    Phuong Nam makes distress sale of stakes in CGV cinemas

    Phuong Nam Culture Joint Stock Co. planned to sell its remaining 7.5 percent stake in Vietnam’s largest cinema chain, CGV.

    The firm said the sale would be worth for VND101 billion ($4.5 million).

    In June the Vietnamese private firm had sold a 12.5 percent stake to realty firm Kim Cuong Den JSC for VND160 billion ($7.1 million).

    Thus, while the total of VND261 billion is almost nine times what the company had paid to acquire the 20 percent stake (VND30 billion in 2004), it values the chain at just half the price Korea’s CJ Group did when buying Megastar, formerly CGV, seven years ago.

    Phuong Nam’s sale values the chain, which has a 47 percent market share of Vietnam’s cinema industry, at $56 million while the CJ transaction had valued it at $100 million.

    With 53 cinemas, CGV reported revenues of VND2.6 trillion ($115 million) and after-tax profit of VND107 billion ($4.75 million) last year.

    Insiders said the fire sale was due to the financial distress PNC has faced for several years, and the money would help it pay off its debts.

    At the end of the second quarter this year PNC’s liabilities had amounted to VND548.7 billion ($23.54 million), or 93 per cent of its capital.

    It has accumulated losses of more than VND98.3 billion ($4.22 million).

    Established in 1982 in HCMC, PNC has interests in the film (Phuong Nam Film Studio), printing (Phuong Nam Printing Factory) and publishing (Phuong Nam Book) industries. It also has investment in stationery and gift retailing.

    Shares of the company, listed on the Ho Chi Minh Stock Exchange (HOSE), are currently under special control for reporting losses for two consecutive years.

    It will probably be forced to delist if losses exceed owner’s equity.

    On August 30 PNC shares closed at VND13,800 ($0.6) per unit.

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  • A Call to Stop Use of Plastic in Bali

    A Call to Stop Use of Plastic in Bali

    Java Mountain Coffee, a Jakarta-based social enterprise advocating for sustainable coffee farming, has called on the hospitality industry in Bali to avoid using plastic and aluminum coffee capsules in a bid to reduce pollution.

    Coffee capsule usage has grown five times faster than growth in coffee consumption globally between 2011 and 2016, Java Mountain Coffee said, citing a 2017 study by Euromonitor International.

    The firm said this is not sustainable, because used capsules usually end up in landfills, rivers and the ocean. Java Mountain Coffee said the used coffee pods also contribute to climate change, especially the plastic ones, which release harmful substances into the environment when exposed to sunlight.

    “Java Mountain Coffee’s response to the recent commitment by the global travel industry to reduce its reliance on plastics and other harmful environmental products, is to stop the use of plastic and aluminum coffee capsules,” the firm’s spokeswoman, Nadine Alexandra, said in a statement.

    “We believe the Bali travel industry collectively can lead the world in environmental responsibility, reversing old uninformed historical human behavior, which has caused irreversible damage to our planet,” she said.

    Java Mountain Coffee participated in an environmental event titled “Act Local, Impact Global,” hosted by Alila Resorts Bali last week. The island hotel industry organized the event in response to a commitment by the global travel industry in June to reduce the use of plastic and other harmful waste products.

    At least 50 hotels, members of the Bali Hotel Association and other travel industry stakeholders attended the event to share their environmental initiatives.

    Among these initiatives is “Komitmen” by One Island One Voice, a Bali-based network of organizations active in the field of waste prevention and management. The initiative calls on individuals, organizations, companies and government offices on the island to separate organic and inorganic waste at the source and to stop using single-use plastic straws, plastic water bottles, plastic retail bags, plastic cups and plastic cup lids.

    “Java Mountain Coffee urges all stakeholders to join us and make a commitment to One Island One Voice’s ‘Komitmen’ initiative,” the firm said.

  • Nicoletti Home to open 50 stores in mainland China

    Nicoletti Home to open 50 stores in mainland China

    Italian leather and fabric upholstery brand Nicoletti Home has partnered with Chinese manufacturer/retailer Manwah to establish a retail network of 50 stores throughout the mainland.

    Nicoletti Home already has a strong Asian presence in Hong Kong, Indonesia and Korea.

    Manwah will be directly responsible for managing the stores under a franchise agreement, targeting upscale customers. All Chinese stores will be positioned within furniture malls with an average floorspace of 2000–4000sqft.

    The first outlet is expected to open by the end of the year in a launch backed by the September furniture show in Shanghai.

    The partnership will also be developing a lower-priced collection for production within China, to be distributed by Manwah throughout a 500-store network nationally.

    The firm’s world commercial director Eustachio Nicoletti said: “Entrusting the development of the Chinese market to such a renowned and reliable partner is for Nicoletti Home a guarantee of efficiency and rapid growth. The collection we are going to introduce in the 2018 Shanghai Exhibition with a 200sqm (2100+sqft) showroom is addressed at a medium-to-high profile consumer, who appreciates excellent made-in-Italy products.”

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  • Walmart unboxes America’s best toy shop

    Walmart unboxes America’s best toy shop

    When it comes to toys, Walmart is not playing around. Walmart has unboxed its plans for America’s Best Toy Shop: its destination for kids’ favorite products – toys! – in its stores and on Walmart.com. Walmart’s toy aisles are set to offer the best toys at the best prices along with more fun for everyone than ever before. Starting Thursday, America’s Best Toy Shop kicks off with:

    – Expanded aisles and the best selection of toys, with thousands of new and exclusive items from top brands, creating Walmart’s broadest assortment of toys ever.
    – The best experience for parents and kids to test, play and shop for toys – through in-store events and demos, and a new specialty toy experience online featuring exclusive content from toy influencers for the first time.
    – The season’s 40 top rated toys from the real toy authorities – kids – to make it easy for parents to know what toys are on trend and tops for kids.
    – Layaway…it’s back August 31.

    “Walmart has always been a destination for toys. Parents shop us for our wide selection of top brands and because we bring fun to stores in ways that only Walmart can,” said Anne Marie Kehoe, Vice President of toys, Walmart U.S. “But today, we are making even bigger investments in the category to ensure we have the widest selection of toys at the best prices and an unmatched in-store and online experience to show customers the best place to shop for toys is Walmart.

    BESTEST Assortment of Toys Ever

    To ensure Walmart has all of the toys kids want, the retailer has expanded America’s Best Toy Shop aisles in select stores across the country. This expanded assortment includes 30 percent new toys in stores and 40 percent more toys online.

    Walmart searched high and low for the biggest trends and the right toys to expand its assortment. New toy brands now available at Walmart include Pomsies, Fancy Nancy, Boxy Girls, Grumblies and Hairdorables. This year, the retailer has added hundreds of new exclusive toys in stores and online. Just one of the hundreds of new exclusives includes Ryan’s World, a line of 11 toys from first-grade internet toy sensation Ryan of Ryan ToysReview, available exclusively at Walmart until Sept. 30. The excitement continues on Walmart.com with new online-only exclusives such as the DC Comics 6-Volt Justice League Batmobile and KidKraft Uptown Espresso Kitchen with 30 Piece Play Food.

    Bringing the WHHHHOOOAAA to Stores and Online

    America’s Best Toy Shop is putting the fun in toys, the Walmart way. Walmart will host more than 2,000 toy play dates over the next two months at Supercenters across the country so that kids can play with top toys as they start to build their holiday wish lists. Here’s a look at the fun happening in America’s Best Toy Shop now through November 1:

    – America’s Best Toy Shop will host its first National Play Day on September 8 in more than 1,500 stores. Kids will leave seriousness and responsibility at the door and enjoy the opportunity to play with top toys, pose for pictures and take home toy booklets and other giveaways.
    – In-store toy demos, including events highlighting toys from Ryan’s World, Barbie and Transformers will take place from August 30 to November 1.
    – Toy roadshows for Nerf and Hot Wheels, will give kids the chance to play with the newest toys from these two classic brands with interactive activities at Supercenters from August 31 to November 1.

    Walmart.com will also open America’s Best Toy Shop online as a specialty shopping destination for customers to discover the perfect toy. As a part of the experience, this year, for the first time ever, customers can hear directly from 25 toy influencers including Clara Lukasiak, Gavin Raygoza, Kenzie Mitchell, and Gabe & Garrett, who will develop exclusive toy content throughout the year, giving customers the scoop on all things toys with advice, reviews and recommendations. The online shop will also include curated toy collections to help customers find inspiration and shop for toys with ease, whether that be by trending item, age, character or brand, among other ways to shop.

    “This year is all about an unmatched experience on Walmart.com,” said Chris Sponiar, General Manager, Toys and Seasonal, Walmart eCommerce U.S. “Whether customers know exactly what they’re looking for or if they want to browse our digital shelves, we are the destination for parents to discover that perfect toy for their child. And, we make it easy. With options like free, two-day shipping or Pickup Today on millions of items, customers can get their toys however they like, either straight to their door or at a Walmart store.”

    Hear ye, Hear ye: The Kids Have Spoken!

    America’s Best Toy Shop launches with a little help from the real toy authorities – kids! Walmart engaged hundreds of youngsters to test and play with dozens of toys. Their favorites resulted in Walmart’s Top Rated by Kids list. Up from 25 toys in previous years, this list of 40 toys will help guide parents on the “it” toys kids are wishing for. Straight from kids themselves, here is a look at the top 40:

    – Power Brands: These brands have been household names for generations and continue to be popular with kids today. Whether it’s a twist on a classic, or a fresh new way to play with beloved icons, these toys are tops with kids:
    – Barbie Dreamhouse
    – Fisher-Price Little People Take Turns Skyway
    – Hot Wheels Ultimate Garage (Walmart exclusive)
    – LEGO Creator Pirate Roller Coaster
    – Nerf Laser Ops 2 Pack
    – Playmobil Hidden Temple with T-Rex
    – Power Wheels Barbie Dream Camper (Walmart exclusive)
    – Razor Ultra Spark Scooter
    – Sing & Spin Scooter Minnie

    – Entertainment Properties: Toys that enable kids to play with their favorite characters from movies and television are all the rage. Here are the characters – in toy form – that kids will be buddying-up with off-screen:
    – Disney Princess Rapunzel Tower Vanity (Walmart exclusive)
    – Harry Potter Wizard Training Wands
    – Imaginext Jurassic World Jurassic Rex
    – Incredibles 2 Jack Jack Doll
    – Paw Patrol Fire Truck Ride-On (Walmart exclusive)
    – Paw Patrol Fire Truck
    – Peppa Pig Fun Fair Playset (Walmart exclusive)
    – PJ Masks Romeo’s Lab Playset

    – Collectibles: Few things can replace the sheer joy of discovering a surprise toy inside a mystery box. Kids may not know what they’re going to find, but that’s the delight! And, be sure they’ll want to collect them all:
    – New product from Hatchimal, hatching Oct. 5
    – Little Live Pets Wrapples
    – LOL Surprise House
    – Lost Kitties
    – Moj Moj Claw Machine
    – Fingerlings Hugs
    – Num Nom Silly Shakers Maker
    – PikMi Pops Super Flip
    – Ryans World Giant Mystery Egg
    – Treasure X Single Pack

    – Innovative Items: The future is here! As kids embark on new adventures, these innovative toys offer uncharted areas of play:
    – Air Hogs Supernova
    – All Star Hover Board (Walmart exclusive)
    – Fisher Price Laugh & Learn 3-in-1 Smart Car
    – Kumi Kreator
    – Little Live Pets Rollie My Kissing Puppy
    – Polaris 1.5 RC (Walmart exclusive)
    – Really Rad Robots Mi-Bro
    – Rideamals Scout Interactive Pony (Walmart exclusive)
    – STEM Jr. Wonder Lab
    – Terra Sect RC
    – Trail Buster RC (Walmart exclusive)
    – VTech Explore & Write Activity Desk (Walmart exclusive)
    – Zoom Tubes Car Trax

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  • Vietnam eyes $2.4 bln upgrade to all civilian airports

    Vietnam eyes $2.4 bln upgrade to all civilian airports

    Vietnam’s airport operator has recommended a VND56.7 trillion ($2.4 billion) upgrade of 16 of the 21 civilian airports in the country.

    The Airports Corporation of Vietnam (ACV) wants to renovate Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, Noi Bai in Hanoi; Da Nang, Chu Lai, Cat Bi, Phu Bai, Dong Hoi, Cam Ranh, Tuy Hoa, and Vinh airports in central Vietnam; Phu Quoc and Con Dao airports on the two southern islands; Lien Khuong Airport in the Central Highlands; and Dien Bien, Na San and Lao Cai airports in the northern region.

    The ACV said it would use internal resources for the upgrade in a proposal submitted to the Ministry of Transport for the development of aviation infrastructure from now through 2021.

    It expected the number of passengers to grow by 10 percent a year to around 137 million by 2021.

    By 2025 the figure is forecast to reach 185 million.

    Head of the Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV), Dinh Viet Thang, agreed with the projections.

    ACV runs all the civilian airports in the country.

    It is now the main investor of the proposed Long Thanh International Airport in the southern province of Dong Nai near HCMC.

    Long Thanh will be built in three phases over three decades. The VND92.1 trillion (over $4 billion) first part is scheduled for completion in 2025, when it will handle 25 million passengers a year.

    Flying into the future: Check-in at Vietnam's planned largest airport 

    It is expected to be fully finished in 2050.

    Once completed Long Thanh is expected to replace Tan Son Nhat as the largest airport in Vietnam.

    Tan Son Nhat currently handles 32 million passengers a year, far above its designed capacity of 25 million.

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  • No fuel tax hike before 2020, minister assures

    No fuel tax hike before 2020, minister assures

    Vietnam won’t increase its fuel tax before 2020, Finance Minister Dinh Tien Dung has directed.

    Dung has ordered a proposal to increase environmental tax on petrol and diesel to be removed from next year’s plan.

    Earlier this year, the ministry had proposed that the environmental tax on petrol and diesel be increased by 33 percent, or VND4,000 (17 cents) per liter for petrol and VND2,000 per liter for diesel.

    The proposed hike, the highest permitted in Vietnam, was met with strong public opposition.

    But the ministry had defended its proposal by saying that the tax can bring VND57.3 trillion ($2.4 billion) each year to state coffers, an annual increase of VND15.7 trillion ($650 million) from current collections.

    Last month, top legislator Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan approved the delay after listening to experts’ say that the tax will affect Vietnam’s goal of containing inflation below four percent this year.

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