HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Many provinces andcities have launched programmes this year to promote local consumer demand tosupport businesses as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect exports.

TheMinistry of Industry and Trade will organise conferences to connect producers,suppliers and retailers, and events for producers and traders, especially smalltraders, to help take goods to residential areas, industrial parks and ruraland mountainous regions, Sai Gon Giai Phong (Liberated Sai Gon)newspaper reported.

Itwill help encourage consumption by fostering the evening economy and holdingfairs and exhibitions of products and services. It continues to implement the‘Vietnamese people give priority to using Vietnamese goods’ programme.

Itwill also promote the adoption of IT and foster e-commerce.

Hanoi’sDepartment of Industry and Trade will organise five Vietnamese Goods Weeks thisyear to stimulate demand.

Tobe held in the districts of Ha Dong, Hai Ba Trung, Nam Tu Liem, Quoc Oai, andBa Vi, they will have around 100 standard booths each.

Companiesand cooperatives will exhibit food products, textiles, footwear, consumer goodsfrom One Product One Commune programmes from Hanoi and other cities andprovinces.

Thedepartment will subsidise booth costs by 50 percent.

Thecity will also support localities and businesses in Hanoi and elsewhere inselling agricultural and aquatic produce that face difficulties in selling dueto the pandemic.

Itwill strengthen communications and promotions, create the best conditions forbusinesses to reach consumers and expand their market.

Productsdisplayed and sold at the events will all be Vietnamese products with quality,food safety and traceability guaranteed.

Toeffectively implement the programme, the department has called on people'scommittees of districts and towns to review all businesses and co-operatives toparticipate in the 2021 Vietnamese Goods Week of Hanoi, especially agriculturalproduce that are difficult to sell and the One Product One Commune programme.

Accordingto the newspaper, Can Tho city’s Department of Industry and Trade also plans toorganise a promotional month programme, possibly from April 10 to May 10.

Itwill seek the participation of businesses, supermarkets, commercial centers,convenience stores, restaurants, hotels and entertainment venues.

HCMCity plans to focus on digitisation of industry and promotion of domestictourism.

Deputydirector of the HCM City Department of Tourism Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu said heragency is stepping up digitisation, and the sector would continue its effortsto boost domestic tourism to drive the recovery of the industry.

Tourismcooperation and linkages between HCM City and the north-east, north-west andthe central regions would also serve to boost domestic travel, she added./.