VIETNAM EXPO is the most long-established trade promotion event in Vietnam, which is annually hosted by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of Vietnam, directed by the Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency and organized by VINEXAD JSC. Over the past 30 years, Vietnam Expo has become a prestigious trademark where not only Vietnamese businesses attend to promote and introduce their products, but also global trade promotion organizations choose as a destination for creating investment opportunities and tapping into the local market.

VIETNAM EXPO 2022 will take place from April 13th to 16th in Hanoi International Exhibition Center (ICE) at 91 Tran Hung Dao, Hoan Kiem, Hanoi, featuring many highlight exhibition zones such as Vietnam Value & Export; Machinery & Supporting Industry; Digital Technology & e-Commerce; Food & Beverage. Making the most of their customer database, the Organizer focuses on running practical B2B programs and seminars meeting the demand from enterprises to reaching right business goals in many industries. This is one of most significant features of the show to attract visitors (according to statistics in 2019 and 2021, there were respectively 21,500 and 10,250 visitors home and abroad coming to the show).

The business opportunity is fair to everyone but getting the timing right matters. Given that many economic aspects have been severely affected by the epidemic for two years, the year 2022 is promising to describe an optimistic scenario as a result of positive changes in the Government’s disease prevention and control policies, along with widespread vaccine coverage. The plan to open two-way international flights, especially, will open up many opportunities for international and local business community. Many national pavilions have officially confirmed their participation in Vietnam Expo this year, including the Republic of Korea (RoK), Belarus, Russia, Japan, the US, Cuba, Malaysia, Nepal, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and so on, which shows that the right timing will help businesses move closer to their targets.

In 2022, Vietnam Expo welcomes the RoK as the Country of Honor of the show. The ultimate message that the Country of Honor wants to delivery this year will be potential business opportunities towards common prosperity through cooperation and trade promotion programs between Vietnamese and Korean enterprises. As a result, Korea Pavilion will impress visitors with a large exhibition scale, a diverse exhibits and a great number of leading exhibitors. It is the 23rd year in a row that the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency in Hanoi (KOTRA Hanoi) has chosen Vietnam Expo for operating a wide range of investment and trade connection activities among the RoK, Vietnam and Southeast Asian countries. Online and Offline 1-on-1 Business Match-making Programs to bring enterprises together are expected to be the highlight of Vietnam Expo 2022. Moreover, this year celebrates the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Vietnam and the RoK (1992-2022), which is an important milestone for promoting bilateral cooperation and enhancing comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.

That The Republic of Belarus will become the “Special Guest” at Vietnam Expo was mentioned during an official visit for a political consultation between the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belarus and the Director of Vietnam Trade Promotion Agency on January 14, 2022. Both leaders concurred to optimize the free trade agreement between Vietnam and the Eurasian Economic Union, in which Belarus is a member, to enhance trade exchange between the two countries. The Belarus Pavilion is planned to cover ​​200-square-meter exhibition area in green demonstrating the key message of openness in cooperation and a delicate “nuance” towards development commensurate with potentials from both sides. In this exhibition, Belarusian enterprises will introduce preeminent country-specific products to Vietnamese market. In fact, the Belarus Pavilion as the Country of Honor in Vietnam Expo 2018 in Ho Chi Minh City drew a great deal of attention from visitors and mass media with a series of bilateral transactions and trade cooperation forums. It was estimated that there were 3,500 businesses coming and working with Belarusian enterprises in the framework of the show.

“Technological solutions crept into all aspects. This is the specificity that digital transformation brings to businesses. That is why so-called direct business match-making fairs like Vietnam Expo create many opportunities for our solutions to reach targeted customers”, said CEO Dao Quang Dung (Eastern Sun Company) for the first time joining the Digitech Pavilion at Vietnam Expo 2021. “After attending Vietnam Expo 2021, Amazon Global Selling Vietnam realized that this is an opportunity to meet businesses that are not only present at the event, but also approach thousands of customers who come to Amazon to learn about opportunities for business cooperation,” Mr. Trinh Khac Toan, the Director of the North Amazon region, shared.

The theme “Step together in digitized world” continues spreading the message of National Digital Transformation Program oriented by the Government of Vietnam for achieving a breakthrough in 2022 after 2 years of its launch. Although it was the first time that “Digital Technology & e-Commerce” had been defined as one of four main exhibit categories last year, Vietnam Expo 2021 has attracted a broad base of support from in-sector business community. There were nearly 40 local and foreign exhibitors introducing digital technology applications, services, solutions and products, which attracted around 5,000 out of 10,250 visitors in general (according to statistics from the Organizing Committee). It seems to be a blooming trend of providing and searching for customized digital solutions to each business. Therefore, it is necessary to organize practical exhibitions gathering businesses for exchanging, sharing and discussing to acquire the inside knowledge of “digital transformation”.

With the coordination of ministries, local trade promotion departments, foreign trading organizations, the Fair aims at accompanying businesses to promote import-export, develop the domestic market, and diversify business types. Vietnam Expo 2022 is projected to welcome 350 exhibitors displaying booths over ​​an area of 3,200sq.m that will be divided into categories and countries.

PV