Total retail sales of consumer goods and services in the first nine months of this year was estimated at VND4,567.8 trillion ($190 billion), a year-on-year increase of 9.7 per cent, figures from the General Statistics Office show.

In September, the total retail sales of consumer goods and services stood at VND524.6 trillion ($21.8 billion), up 2.4 per cent against August and 7.5 per cent year-on-year. The rise was attributed to increasing demand for essential products such as food, education materials for the new school year, and accommodation and tourism.

It brought the total in the third quarter to VND1,550.2 trillion ($64.6 billion), up 1.9 per cent against the second quarter and 7.3 per cent year-on-year.

During the nine-month period, tourism and travel revenue surged 47.7 per cent, to an estimated VND26.5 trillion ($1.1 billion). Growth was attributed to people’s increasing demand for tourism after Covid-19 and localities’ tourism promotion activities.

Tourism revenue in some localities recorded high growth, including central Da Nang city, with 139.9 per cent, northern Quang Ninh province with 98.8 per cent, Ho Chi Minh City with 91.3 per cent, and Hanoi with 67.4 per cent.