MONDAY, NOVEMBER 11, 2013 | www.brecorder.com/adasia
11-14 November 2013
VIETNAM AND PAKISTAN TO BOOST TRADE EXCHANGE VU VIET DZUNG | Head of Vietnam trade mission Bilateral trade between Vietnam and Pakistan has been growing at a rapid pace over the years. The Vietnam Trade Mission has been present in Karachi since 2005 and the two-way trade turnover has increased almost ten times, up to nearly 400 Million USD in this period (until 2012). The top export items from Vietnam to Pakistan include: tea, black pepper, cashew nuts, natural rubber, pengasius fish and garment, textile products. The top Pakistan products exported to Vietnam include: cotton, fabric, pharmaceutical products, leather materials and footwear.
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Chart 1:
450
Pakistan-Vietnam bilateral trade
400
Two-way trade turnover USD (mn)
200
VN export turnover USD (mn)
150
VN import turnover USD (mn)
100
391 324
350 300
242
250 150
232
183
50 0
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
Jan-Sep 13
Pakistan’s top export items to Vietnam (US$) Product
Quantity (MT)
Export value (Jan - Dec 2012)
Export value (Jan-Sep 2013)
Cotton Fabric Pharmaceutical products Yarn Leather/ footwear materials
53,854
104,983,909 28,446,234 19,228,229 15,548,033 15,003,863
22,093,809 24,168,807 13,764,862 12,348,990 14,425,813
Pakistan’s top import items from Vietnam (US$) Product
Quantity (MT)
Export value (Jan - Dec 2012)
Export value (Jan-Sep 2013)
Tea Yarn Black Pepper Seafood/ fishery products Rubber Cashew nuts
24,045 9,316 2,976
45,304,840 25,487,506 18,953,118 13,511,262 10,225,685 4,054,047
29,230,330 20,202,689 11,320,023 8,407,136 10,898,080 1,217,995
Vietnam, as the top producer and exporter of several agricultural products like rice, black pepper, coffee, cashew nuts, has a lot to offer to the Pakistani market. Both countries have strong textile industries and trade of raw material as well as finished products in this industry is vigorous. Export of raw cotton from Pakistan, which reached a record volume of 104 million USD last year, is largely used in Vietnam textile industry. Besides agricultural products, Vietnam’s exports are now shifting to industrial products. Out of the total export value of 114 billion USD (2012), garment and textile accounts for 15 billion USD, mobile phones for 12.7 billion USD, shoes and bags for 7.2 billion USD, crude oil makes up 8.2 billion USD, while wood furniture contributes 4.2 billion USD. Vietnam has remained among the fastest-growing export economies of the world during the past few years. Vietnam is also among top FDI (Foreign Direct Investment) attractors. As of September 2012, the country has lured 15.298 FDI projects with total registered capital of 223 billion USD. Top investors are Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and USA. It’s interesting to know that more and more Pakistani garment manufacturers are expanding their production to Vietnam thanks to our friendly and transparent business environment, abundant and cost-efficient labor force and availability of raw materials as well as cutting edge technology. Vietnam is actively joining world trade forum with membership in WTO, ASEAN, APEC and ASEM. We are party to ASEAN Free Trade Area with China, South Korean, Australia-New Zealand, Japan and India. In a few months, a TPP agreement will be signed, forming a trade pack grouping 12 Asia-Pacific countries - one of largest trade areas with a combined population of 792 million people which contributes 40 percent of world’s GDP and a third of global trade. In summary, all is set to offer Pakistan a greater chance to develop business with Vietnam, especially in sectors of food processing, fishery, textile materials, leather and footwear. For Pakistani products, Vietnam with a total population of nearly 90 million is a potential market. The Trade Mission of the Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is based in Karachi to support all parties interested in any kind of business with Vietnam. It is hoped that an FTA may soon be initiated to facilitate business on a better scale.
AdAsia | November11, 2013 | 5
Advertisers are hungry for more data on print media Sarmad Ali
Managing Director Marketing & Advertising Sales of Jang Media Group | President of All Pakistan Newspapers Society | President of the International Advertising Association’s Pakistan Chapter
BR Research: What is the total spending on advertising in the country? Inform us about the break-up of the entire spending. Sarmad Ali: The media market in Pakistan is estimated to be around Rs60 billion or $600 million. Print media takes up about a third of this tally, while 54 percent of the spending is directed towards the television industry. Advertising spending on online media is about three percent of the total, while about 4 percent and 7 percent advertising revenues are being spent on radio and out-of-home advertising, respectively. BRR: What has been the overall growth trajectory of media in Pakistan in recent years? SA: In the first half of the decade from the year 2000+ to 2007, the industry was registering an impressive double-digit growth of almost 20 percent. In the latter years of that period, the momentum stalled and stagnation set in. However, in the past 2 years, growth has once again picked up, particularly in the electronic media. Print has been the hardest hit segment in recent years. Though revenues have improved in value terms, the proportion of ad spend on print media, out of the total ad spending, has been consistently dropping. Back in 2005, print media was pulling in more than half of all ad revenues, compared to its current 33 percent share in the pie. Print revenues have increased from about Rs8 billion in 2004-05, to almost Rs18 billion at present, but its declining share is a matter of concern for the industry. There have been few if any new entrants in print media over recent years; on the other hand, however a host of new television channels have come up over the same time. The arrival of new entrants coupled with innovation in television media industry has helped it attract the largest chunk of ad revenues. Although radio has grown rapidly, its low base means that the absolute value of revenues is still relatively small. Internet media has grown more than exponentially, and has gone from being virtually non-existent some years back to becoming a billion rupee-industry. BRR: What are the factors that have taken the biggest chunk of the advertising pie to television channels? SA: The number of satellite channels has mushroomed from four in 2003 to close to a hundred at present. There has also been a lot of innovation in television programming. For instance in the early 2000, Advertisers did not want to dedicate hefty sums of their advertising spending towards news channels. But now, news is the genre
to be in, entertainment genre has also had its share of innovations. Thirdly, there have been significant advancements in television audience measurement systems. There are problems and limitations associated with the use of the ratings, but it is better than not having one at all. Advertisers have been able to gain valuable insights as a result of the prevalent audience measurement tool. As far as the print industry is concerned, there is no similar readership measurement tool. There have been studies conducted by various research agencies in recent years but their findings have been reported with a considerable lag and these exercises have not been repeated at regular intervals. There is a growing realisation in print media that such information needs to be collected and analyzed but the information gap persists. In my view, advertisers are hungry for more data on print media but the hesitation is on part of many print publications who fear that their actual readership will be revealed to be lower than what is stated by them. I feel that the print industry should support efforts to present data in a transparent form as this will help improve revenues for the whole industry. BRR: Beyond the most viewed television channels, there are dozens of others that are facing severe liquidity constraints to the point where some are unable to pay salaries on time. Is there a case for consolidation in the industry? SA: In my opinion, there are far too many television channels in the country at present. There is not enough money going around in terms of spending on advertising to keep them all afloat. In Pakistan, there is no subscription model for television channels, so there is complete reliance on ad revenues. For this reason, I believe that many unviable channels will eventually close down. It is also worth noting that the media buying houses operating in the television media industry enjoy immense power. But I don’t think that this dominance will sustain over the longer term and market forces will dictate more competition in the future. The prevalent liquidity crunch is one of the biggest challenges that the media industry has ever come up against. There is a need for all industry stakeholders to collectively seek solutions to this problem. Huge amounts of money are stuck in government advertisement dues; to the tune of over Rs.2 billion. Then there are differences in the recovery mechanisms and regulations between print and TV media associations. I strongly believe that APNS and PBA should jointly move towards an alternate clearance period system.
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There is a need for some sort of a joint industry platform or mechanism comprising representatives of APNS, PBA, Advertising Association of Pakistan (AAP) and Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS) that can focus on pan-industry challenges and issues.
For, perspective, presently PBA has 12 clearances i.e., every month whereas APNS has 6, every alternate month. Thus there are 6 months in a year where PBA and APNS clearances conflict against each other. In order to reduce the liquidity crisis, I believe that it is important for these bodies to jointly evolve a system which is beneficial for the entire industry and not for just print or television. Another thing that I have been talking about for a long time is a need for some sort of a joint industry platform or mechanism comprising representatives of APNS, PBA, Advertising Association of Pakistan (AAP) and Pakistan Advertisers Society (PAS) that can focus on panindustry challenges and issues. BRR: How much of a factor is government advertising for print media industry and what is its impact? SA: In fact the government is by far the largest source of advertising revenues for print media. But the government sets its own rates, which are about a fifth of the going market rate for advertisements placed in print media. So far, no amount of lobbying by the industry has convinced the government to rationalise these rates. In 2011, the government gave a 40% rate increase across the board with a commitment to a 10% increase every year. However, this has recommended a hollow
promise. The choice of media is also in the hands of the Press Information Department; and not the relevant government department which is placing the ads. This system is archaic and derives its roots from a cabinet decision in 1964. We are living in 2013 and a fair and transparent system needs to be evolved by the government in consultation with all the stakeholders which has relevance to the ground realities of 2013. By virtue of being the largest media buying house, the government also has significant potential for arm twisting. The smaller and regional newspapers are almost entirely dependent on government advertising for their survival. These regional newspapers serve those areas that are not covered by the leading national newspapers and also operate as the training nurseries for journalists. The government should continue to support them with a view of ensuring their survival. BRR: Which sectors of the economy do you foresee as leaders in terms of advertising spending on media in coming years? SA: Education is the single largest sector in terms of advertising revenues for the print media. For a perspective Jang: it contributes about 14 percent of our total ad revenues, and there is no sign of any slowdown in this category. There is also a lot of investment flowing into the real estate sector and I foresee much more
advertising from this sector. Financial services and telecommunication services already are major sectors in terms of ad revenues, but the latter’s spending will grow manifold once 3G technology is introduced in the country. Besides the tide of consumerism is unabated and so consumer goods from packaged foods to household items to shoes and clothing will all remain high in terms of advertising spending. BRR: In your view, what is the significance of AdAsia conference for the domestic advertising and media industries? SA: This platform brings together advertising practitioners, advertisers and other stakeholders once every two years. It allows the industry participants to share views, knowledge, experiences and case studies. It is also a very important opportunity for networking as the participants meet with advertising practitioners from across the region. The conference which is scheduled to be held in Vietnam this year will mark the 28th time that it is being held. I would also like to appreciate the efforts of Business Recorder. Business Recorder deserves to be appreciated for its continued endeavours raising industry awareness.
Interview by Hammad Haider
AdAsia | November11, 2013 | 7
English Biscuit Manufacturers –
CHANGING THE ADVERTISING LANDSCAPE OF PAKISTAN English Biscuit Manufacturers (Pvt.) Ltd (EBM) pioneered packaged biscuit manufacturing in Pakistan in 1967. Today, with a production capacity of 135,000 tons, an impressive annual sales figure of Rs. 22 billion, and the largest production facility in Pakistan – which is also one of the largest in Asia, Africa and the Middle East – EBM proudly holds a market share of over 45%, leading the branded biscuit industry as a “baking giant.” So, how did EBM become such a major player in the food industry – and for that matter, how did a biscuit-manufacturing company change the landscape of advertising in Pakistan? Undoubtedly, this has had much to do with EBM’s pioneering spirit and adherence to quality principles; EBM started producing the country’s largest range of hygienic, healthy biscuits and cookies 35 years ago. It also has to do with the famous Peek Freans Pied Piper, and the role that advertising has played over the years in embedding this brand into the consciousness of consumers, who came to associate it firmly with consistent quality and excellent value.
The Pied Piper’s story EBM’s Peek Freans brand serves as an umbrella brand under which all its biscuit and cookie product brands are marketed. Peek Freans has been internationally acclaimed as a Superbrand due to its role in changing the dynamics of the industry and the eating habits of its consumers. For millions of consumers across the nation, the Peek Freans Pied Piper is a symbol of trust and confidence. The Pied Piper first made his appearance in an iconic television advertisement in the 1970s. This early communication, titled “Listen to the Sound of the Day” is regarded as one of the most definitive, nostalgic and yet contemporary advertising campaigns of Pakistan to this day. The distinctive flute melody used in this advertisement went on to become the signature tune for Peek Freans, and is still instantly recognized by consumers. True to its corporate claim “The Legend Leads,” EBM was the first company to promote biscuits as food between meals that is both healthy and nutritious. It was through this strategy that EBM transformed the biscuit eating habits of Pakistani consumers, making biscuits an everyday necessity rather than an occasional luxury, which is how they were previously viewed.
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Did you know that there are nearly as many Sooper cookies consumed in a year as there are people in the whole continent of Asia? That’s 4.92 billion Sooper cookies!
EBM’s impact on advertising
Due to the unprecedented success of brands such as Sooper and Rio, the biscuit industry in Pakistan has seen phenomenal growth over the past few decades. Consequently, EBM has played a major part in changing the landscape of Pakistani advertising by contributing to the biscuit category being ranked among the top ten advertising categories in the country. This places the biscuit category alongside other major categories including personal care, soft drinks and telecom, and is incredible expansion for a category which was previously not considered a significant player in the advertising arena. Sooper’s advertising campaigns have been memorable from the outset, with catchy slogans and evocative imagery that reflect how Sooper has become a family favorite over the years, culminating in the most recent theme “Sooper Hai Zindagi.” EBM brands’ rankings in the results of the Brand Elections 2013 speak for themselves. Sooper’s selection as the
number two brand in all of Pakistan from among 3,500 brands in 60 categories is a testament to its enduring popularity. Sooper is also ranked first in the biscuit category. Rio, which is the top-selling cream biscuit in the market, comes in second in the overall biscuit category, showing its massive appeal. Another significant achievement is that Peek Freans’ Gluco has been recognized for best advertising by the Pakistan Advertisers Society Awards for two consecutive years in the Snack and Confectionary category, winning first position from among 105 entries across 18 different categories. EBM continues to set new trends and develop both, classic and innovative concepts around the icon of the Pied Piper which remains an integral part of the communication and packaging of Peek Freans biscuits. Today, a look at the Peek Freans brand portfolio shows that it reaches out to practically every segment of the market. With a diverse array of products that appeal to adults and children, men and women from all walks of life, EBM continues to innovate and set the pace for the biscuit and cookie industry.
AdAsia | November11, 2013 | 9
by Umair Saeed In May 2008, the Harvard Business Review published an article which declared that “Advertising is now universally acknowledged to be broken, but the need for it obviously still exists. Making it effective again will require radically altering our perspective…” The author, Jeffrey F. Rayport, wasn’t the only internationally acclaimed marketing expert stressing the need for change. Ironically, I was reading the piece while waiting to catch a flight that would take me to Colombo where my agency had arranged a training workshop to get acquainted with its new approach to advertising; a new way of life that would radically change our perspective of the advertising business and our individual roles in it. So did the training achieve these objectives? Yes, but while the concept and terminology of this approach were new, they reflected an emerging theory of advertising that has evolved in practice ever since the entire debate over the death of advertising began. It stemmed from a simple truth, “The marketer who understands his audience best, wins!”
I am sure everyone with anything to do with advertising (and marketing) has heard of (if not read) the infamous best seller from Al Ries “The fall of Advertising and the rise of PR”. This book shook the advertising industry to the core, causing outrage amongst advertising professionals. Ries, like many others from scholastic circles argued that advertising just wasn’t working, since it was not changing with the times. But I’ll bet few have read the book titled “The fall of PR and the rise of Advertising” by Stefan Engeseth (foreword by Al Ries). As one of the most creative business thinkers of his time, Engeseth captures how things have come full circle as PR is now finding its credibility in the intensive care unit. And as he analyses changes in the media landscape; PR, advertising and everything in between, it becomes obvious that many of these changes have happened as a result of the digitally charged, social media powered consumer. The great thing about social media is that it gives everyone a voice. The problem with it is also that it gives
everyone a voice. The gentleman who introduced me to Stefan Engeseth in a marketing conference was a PR expert himself, and a victim of these voices. It isn’t the change alone that hit him. Change is always happening around us; technological, social, economic, environmental and political change; all happening at the same time. The world has always been changing; from the invention of the wheel to the invention of the iPad. What is different though, and represents a bigger transformation, is not that things are changing, but that they are changing so fast. Many would argue that the advertising industry in Pakistan is still under-developed. And that a lot of these challenges we talk and read about the advertising world don’t apply to Pakistan yet. But the compressing speed of change has hit our industry. Here’s a list of the top ‘changes’ that I believe are driving our industry’s future:
1: The consumer is not ‘dumb’! To be honest, the consumer was never dumb. But marketers and advertising people both seemed to think otherwise. Until recently, it was okay to say; “the consumer won’t be able to understand this.” You would even have a few nodding heads and it would be business as usual. However, a growing number of marketers have learned to respect the consumer now. Truth is, today’s consumer has actually gotten smarter than his predecessors, especially as human lie-detectors. We have empirical proof that today’s consumer sees through hidden messages in the advertising communication. This growing realisation is actually responsible for the improvement in the quality of our products.
2: Research is not just a ‘safety net’! For an industry still struggling to recognize the importance of research, the statement above might seem inappropriate. While multinationals were always heavy on using research, the real treat for most of us in advertising was to see so many local brands make use of research. The problem however, was intention. Most marketers were looking at research as a safety net to protect their reputation, their jobs and have a ready scapegoat at all times. The primary purpose of research has always been and always will be insights. Sadly, the way research was being used failed this purpose. I am happy to report that things are changing, for the better. A growing number of marketers are learning to give due respect and consideration to research.
3: Strategy is not limited to ‘a slide before the concept’! Ten years ago when I started my career, you could count the number of agencies with a strategy department on the fingertips of one hand only, without having to twiddle your thumb. Even within these few agencies, the department normally comprised two to three people at most, regardless of how big the agency’s business was. But over the years, more and more advertising agencies have realised the importance of strategists in communication planning. While all multinational agency brands have brand/ communication planning as an integral function, most (if not all) successful local agency brands have also developed a better understanding of the planning function and its importance in producing more creative, relevant and strategically sound advertising.
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4: Accountability and effectiveness are not ‘misunderstood’! Accountability sounds good doesn’t it? You require people to measure the value of their actions, and you provide incentives to them to ensure that they meet pre-defined targets. Occasionally raising the bar drives continuous improvement, and businesses prosper. The trouble with applying accountability to marketing is that the evaluation is widely flawed, the targets are usually the wrong ones and the result too often leads to the destruction of shareholder value. So accountability is not the problem; the accountability systems are. If you look at actual business success, you’d realize it not only reveals some of the factors that make marketing more profitable, but also exposes some of the common practices that lead to waste and inefficiency. Many of these relate to the tension between effectiveness (doing the right thing) and accountability (being seen to do the right thing). This in turn is closely related to how you measure success.
5: Specialization is not just a ‘buzz word’! Ever heard of the ‘infinite monkey theorem’? It states that “given an infinite amount of time (and bananas), a monkey hitting keys at random on a typewriter or keyboard will eventually type every book in the Bibliothèque Nationale de France. In the restatement of the theorem most popular among English speakers, the monkeys eventually type out the collected works of William Shakespeare. Many of us in advertising have until infinity to prove the theory as most marketers come pre-programmed to apply this theorem to their advertising agency. I always say that lack of respect for professionalism is one of the biggest national problems of our time. Much like politics, advertising was thought of as everyone’s business. Don’t get too excited though, this particular change is taking place a lot slower then everything else I’ve discussed in this piece. But the good thing is that it is, indeed, happening. David Oglivy once said to advertisers: "Do not compete with your agency in the creative area. Why keep a dog and bark yourself?” While a lot of marketers have learned to control their temptation and let their agencies bark, a lot of agencies have also understood the importance of co-creativity, the magic of collaboration instead of working in silos. We’ve learnt that sometimes it helps to bark together. As the advertising value chain reconfigures; marketers, advertising agencies, media distributors and broadcasters have little choice but to adapt and innovate. There is no question that the future of advertising in Pakistan will look radically different from its past. The push for control of attention, creativity, measurements and specialisation will reshape the advertising value chain and shift the balance of power. For both marketers and advertising agencies, it
is imperative to plan for multiple consumer futures, craft agile strategies and build new capabilities. Increasingly empowered consumers, more self-reliant advertisers and ever-evolving technologies are redefining how advertising is sold, created, consumed and tracked. Everything is all sped up. Due to that, it is creating new windows of opportunity of overnight success for new
businesses and opportunities for those who are able to change alongside or even ahead of it. So change can be good. But with such rapid change, great chaos and risk are omnipresent dangers. For every company that has successfully navigated these changing tides, there are many others that didn't.
AdAsia | November11, 2013 | 11
DHL Global Forwarding bringing reliable Perishable Goods Logistics to Pakistan or destruction with time. Not only agricultural products but even for photographic film, chemicals and pharmaceutical drugs; proper supply chain management is an important function supporting the overall business objectives. And for all such goods to reach their destinations in their prime form, it is crucial that these goods are delivered quickly and safely with the help of latest technology. Controlled atmosphere, cautious handling, dehumidification and ultra low temperature are critical to prolong the practical shelf life of goods so that they don’t lose their commercial value. Although with globalization the world has become a small place, this hasn’t changed the fact that countries are still physically separated. And this physical separation, while being greatly reduced through aviation and other transportation methods can still impact the transport of perishable goods. To protect these goods from decay and damage, it needs to be ensured that the freight is prevented from shocks and undue temperature variations. During a conference recently held in Karachi Mr Inam Ullah Ashraf Director Commercial - DHL Global Forwarding said “There is a deficiency of Cold Supply Chain in Pakistan which is mandatory to be enhanced on urgent basis in order to reduce the wastage of food items.”
orld’s economic activity is majorly dependant on international trade. However the efficiency of moving products is imperative to the growth and sustenance of trade industry. Council of Logistics Management (1991) defined that logistics is ‘part of the supply chain process that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services, and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers’ requirements.’ By Dureen Ance Anwer
devised to make the goods they need available to them in their prime form. And this becomes even more critical when it comes to perishable goods.
Thus simply put, logistics is customeroriented operation management mainly
By definition perishable goods are those items which are subject to decay, spoilage
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Recently our neighbouring country announced that it will stop collecting financial security from Pakistani exporters so that our perishable goods can easily reach the Central Asian markets. This news emerged as a beacon of hope among the business community especially since a major chunk of our economy is dependent on export items such as fresh meat, seafood, fruits, vegetables, flowers etc.
While a temperature and/or shock sensitive product is being moved, it is crucial to monitor and evaluate its characteristics. Then the weather of the region it is being transported to also becomes a matter of concern. So reefers are used to mitigate such issues. It is also important to consider the distance between the originating country and final destination of the shipment. Based on this and the lifetime of the goods, transportation mode can be selected. Sometimes various means are used for the same shipment along its journey. Even though Pakistan is considered to me one of the largest Halal Chill Red Meat exporter in the world but it was this decade when industry has rapidly evolve such as setting global standard, entrant of large & trusted corporates and investment with long term focus. Volume has increased by 3 folds from what it was decade ago. One
way to gage the potential on this sector growth by investment these players are doing to increase the capacity, which is currently increasing even at higher pace as export volume. The main feature of DHL’s Perishable Goods Logistics which sets it apart is that it has a broad portfolio of services to meet every client’s needs. Clients wishing to send goods through this service can simply contact their air freight experts who will assist them to choose the best route and mode. The fast transit and turnaround times of this service also contribute to increased efficiency. Then comes the custom clearing; only a reputable forwarding company with extensive knowledge of the market can guide and assist the customers in handling the matters without any hassle. So realizing the fact that Pakistani exporters need a reliable company which can assure quality, DHL Global Forwarding is launching its Perishable Goods Logistics in Pakistan. Additionally total visibility of the logistics chain offers improved transparency, whereas proprietary tracking technology means better information for the sender as well as the receiver. Prioritized handling and placement ensures your goods are cared for at all times. Depending on the requirements of the product, refrigeration, deep-freeze and combined transports come into operation. All carriers are individually selected for each respective shipment. DHL’s global ocean freight system links the ports of the world. Long-standing business relations with carriers allow comprehensive and flexible FCL and LCL services, as well as conventional ones. DHL has built up a strong global logistics network to help its customers for their national and international transportation needs. For food logistics, they are offering one stop suitable solutions. They ship perishable goods by air, sea or overland, as well as offering specialized services customized to every type of food. DHL is the market leader in forwarding perishable products from Latin America to the rest of the world. They use specialist tracking technology to help ensure that time-critical items, such as flowers and fruits, are delivered quickly to their destinations, wherever they may be.
Socialist Republic of Vietnam Region :
Southeast Asia
Population :
90,316,521
Area Land :
329,560 km2 325,360 km2
Coast Line :
3,444 km
Capital :
Hanoi
Climate :
Tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot rainy season
Languages :
Vietnamese, Chinese, English, French, Khmer, Tribal languages
Currency :
1 new dong (D) = 100 xu
Holiday :
Independence Day, 2 September 1945
Area Total :
Ethnic Divisions : Vietnamese, Chinese, Muong, Tai, Meo, Khmer, Man, Cham Calling code :
+84
Legislature :
National Assembly
Top travel destinations in Vietnam Ha Long Bay
Cu Chi Tunnels Ha Long Bay is situated in north Vietnam round a 120 kilometer long coast line and is literally translated as “Bay of Descending Dragons”. The top tourist attraction in Vietnam, Ha Long Bay features thousands of islands, each topped with thick jungle vegetation, forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Several of the islands are hollow, with enormous caves, others islands include lakes and some support floating villages of fishermen.
Hoan Kiem Lake (Hanoi)
The Cu Chi Tunnels are an immense network of connecting underground tunnels located about 40 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). The tunnels were used by Viet Cong guerrillas as hiding spots during the Vietnam War, and were the base of operations for the T t Offensive in 1968. The tunnels have become a popular tourist attraction, and visitors are invited to crawl around in the safer parts of the tunnel system.
Mekong River (Mekong Delta) near Ho Chi Minh City The Mekong Delta is the region in southern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea. It is a very rich and lush area, covered with rice fields, that produces about half of the total of Vietnam’s agricultural output. Subsequently, life in the Mekong Delta revolves much around the river, and all the villages are often accessible by river rather than by road.
Located in the historical center of Hanoi, Hoan Kiem Lake is one of the major scenic spots in the city and serves as the locals’ favorite leisure spot. Hoan Kiem means “returned sword”, and the name comes from a legend in which King Le Loi was given a magical sword by the gods, which he used to drive out the invading Chinese. Later he returned the sword to the Golden Turtle God in the lake.
Mui Ne (near Nha Trang)
Hoi An (Da Nang beach) This fishing-village-turned-tourist-attraction is situated on the coast of the South China Sea. Hoi An has been an international port from the 16th century although the serious shipping business has long since moved to the city of Da Nang. The heart of the city is still the Old Town, full of winding lanes and Chinese-styled shops. It is sometimes called the “Venice of Vietnam” because of the narrow canals that cut through part of the town.
Nha Trang (Near Ho Chi Minh City) Nha Trang is Vietnam’s most popular seaside resort town located along the second most beautiful bays in the country. It features beautiful beaches with fine and clean sand and clear ocean water with mild temperatures. The city has about 300,000 inhabitants and is more lively and urban in character than other beach destinations like Mui Ne and Phu Quoc. It’s also the scuba diving center of Vietnam.
The formerly little-inhabited beach south of the fishing village of Mui Ne has seen some serious development in the last 15 years. Due to strong sea breezes it is a popular destination in Vietnam for kite- and windsurfing. No trip to Mui Ne is complete without a trip to the famous sand dunes located a short distance north of the town. The vast sandy expanse provide some great panoramic views especially during sunset.
Sa Pa Terraces (300 km from Hanoi) Sa Pa is a town in northwest Vietnam not far from the Chinese border. Rice terraces can be found in the Muong Hoa valley between Sa Pa town and the Fansipan Mountain, on a backdrop of thick bamboo woodlands. Local mountain people, the Hmong, Giay, Dao, Tay, and Giay, grow rice and corn on these paddy terraces, along with vegetables.
Message from Bipin R. Pandit | (COO) The Advertising Club Bombay I have been a regular at all Adasia since 1999 when it was held at Pattaya. It has been 15 years and this will be my 8th Adasia. Having not missed even one until date for experience sake this is certainly a decent number. My association with all Adasia has been very close be it as the Secretariat- in-charge for Adasia Jaipur or mobilizing a huge delegation to any Asian country. The whole
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delegation is in contact with me for some work or the other. While you are enriched by listening to the addresses of some of the best-known speakers in the business, what I would like to state categorically is Adasia as an event has given me some of my best friends in the Industry both in India and even abroad. My connect with most of my fellow Adasians is very very strong and we meet with
the same affection and love every time we bump into each other. Thus, Adasia is a huge platform for sharing knowledge but please do not miss an opportunity to network. A sincere word of appreciation to Business Recorder and Jawwad Ahmed for doing supplements a great job year after year. Incidentally, Jawwad as a friend is also a gift to me by Adasia.