The retail sales of goods, which accounted for 75% of the total sales, reached VND2.67 quadrillion (US$118.9 billion), up 10.2% from last year.
The revenue in some sectors saw a handsome increase. Food and food products, for instance, surged 13 per cent year-on-year, household appliances rose 12 per cent, garments and textiles went up 11 per cent and transport services increased by 6 per cent. However, the sales of educational and cultural products grew at a low rate of 2 per cent.
The retail sales of accommodation, restaurant and catering services reached approximately US$18.4 billion, which accounts for 12% of the total revenue, posting an 11% year-on-year rise. This is mainly thanks to effective tourism policies that led to a significant increase in the number of tourists in the later months of 2016.
Localities that posted high accommodation, restaurant and catering services as well as retail sales include the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Binh Thuan at 18% and 17%, respectively; the northern city of Hai Phong (16%), Hanoi (14%) and Ho Chi Minh City (9%).
The sales of other services in 2016 reached an estimated US$18 billion, making up 11.4% of total revenue and surging 9.3% compared to the previous year.
