Vietnam much more attractive investment destination than it appears

May 23, 2015 | 12:08

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Vietnam has much to offer as an investment destination, which remains largely underexploited as the country has not been paying due attention to promoting its reputation.

Vietnam is not doing enough to make itself known outside the region, explained Roland Schatz, founder and CEO of media intelligence firm Media Tenor. As a result, “too many companies still go to China and forget that if they would come to Vietnam they would be better off,” he said.

A recent research by Media Tenor shows that, besides China of course, other countries in the region, such as Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia, Malaysia and Myanmar, all have more coverage outside the Southeast Asia region than Vietnam does.

Vietnamese companies, meanwhile, only need better media relations outside of the region to capture investors’ attention, as companies in Europe and Africa are constantly on the look-out to build relations in Asia, according to Schatz.

During the first four months of 2015, Vietnam has attracted $3.72 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI), signifying a decrease of 23.3 per cent compared to the same period in 2014, according to reports by the Ministry of Planning and Investment. South Korea became the biggest investor with 197 projects worth $908.88 million, accounting for 24.4 per cent of the total FDI in the country.

Media Tenor International, founded in 1993, provides media intelligence and helps businesses optimise communications, improve stock market performance and manage reputational risks. Media Tenor’s customer base extends to the public sphere as well as the company also assists politicians and governments in navigating public and media opinions.

By By Khanh Tran

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