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Duty-free shops bustling again
Tinh Bien Economic Zone in An Giang province on July 11 resumed operating, while a series of supermarkets at the Moc Bai Economic Zone in Tay Ninh province have also re-opened, attracting a lot of shoppers.
Supermarkets in Moc Bai EZ have re-opened
The duty-free shops resumed operations right after the Prime Minister released a decision to reinitiate the policy of exempting tax for domestic travellers.
On July 1, a decision on not allowing domestic travellers to purchase up to 500,000 dong worth of goods duty free forced dozens of enterprises in EZs to close since shoppers stopped coming.
Local authorities reported that 58 of 60 businesses in Moc Bai EX and all 20 businesses in Tinh Bien EZ closed after the decision was released.
According to Duong Thanh Van, Head of the Planning and Investment Division under the Moc Bai Economic Zone’s Management Board, 15 of 48 businesses on July 10 opened their doors again to welcome shoppers.
Le Huu Trang, Deputy Head of the Tinh Bien EZ’s Management Board, also said on July 11 that tens of businesses had resumed selling duty-free goods to domestic travellers.
“Many businesses laid off workers. Now they will have to recruit workers again,” Trang said.
The non-tariff policy for domestic travellers will be extended until the end of 2012.
Though the decision has been applauded by local authorities and investors in EZs, many would still like the deadline extended past 2012.
Trang from Tinh Bien EZ in An Giang province said that if the non-tariff policy is only applied to 2012, investors may be reluctant to invest heavily in EZs.
VietNamNet, VNE
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