The total retail sales of consumer goods and services in August was estimated at VND515.4 trillion ($21.2 billion), up 0.9 per cent against July and 7.6 per cent year-on-year, the General Statistics Office (GSO) has reported.

In the first eight months of the year, total retail sale of consumer goods and services was expected at VND4,043.9 trillion (over $166 billion), up 10 per cent year-on-year.

The GSO attributed the handsome increase to rising demand for essential goods.

Tourism and travel revenue surged 47 per cent in the period, with an estimated value of VND22.4 trillion ($922 million).

In the eight-month period, revenue from the retail sale of goods was estimated at VND3,175.5 trillion ($130.5 billion), accounting for 78.5 per cent of the total earnings from goods and services and up 8.7 per cent year-on-year.

Localities reporting higher earnings year-on-year included Da Nang (up 40.3 per cent), Can Tho (27.2 per cent), Dong Nai (23.6 per cent), Ho Chi Minh City (23.4 per cent), Quang Ninh (21.8 per cent), Hai Phong (14.4 per cent), and Hanoi (11.9 per cent).