Vietnam Economy Weekly Briefing 4: Long Thanh Airport, Tourism Tax Breaks, Power

 

 

This briefing picks four items from Vietnamese economy weekly news reported around Nov. 7, 2026 that are most likely to matter to foreign residents and investors. They cover airport infrastructure, tourism investment policy, electricity supply and an everyday ride-hailing discount.

 

 

Vietnam Economy Weekly, At a glance

Topic	Key point	Who is most affected
Long Thanh Airport	Ground-handling and catering projects delayed; final deadline Dec. 24	Logistics and aviation businesses; residents of the south
Tourism resolution (draft)	Tax and land incentives for very large projects	Hotel, resort and tourism investors
Northern power measures	Target to cut peak load by about 3,000 MW in 2027	Factories and offices in the north; residents
Green SM	25% fare discount, Nov. 8 to Feb. 28, 2027	Riders in cities where the service operates

 

 

1. Long Thanh Airport: support facilities are running late

What happened. The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) has asked the Ministry of Construction to approve a revised timeline for six projects under Component 4 of the airport’s first phase. They include aviation catering facilities, ground handling and vehicle maintenance centers, and aircraft maintenance facilities. Contracts were amended in June to require construction to finish by Aug. 31. Only two projects have reached equipment installation: the No. 2 catering facility and the No. 2 ground handling and vehicle maintenance center. The other four have not completed basic construction. They are the No. 1 catering facility, the No. 1 ground handling center, and maintenance facilities No. 1, 3 and 4.

The CAAV blamed massive workloads, labor and material shortages, fluctuating fuel prices and long shipping times for specialized imported equipment. It also said unfinished common technical infrastructure at the airport has stopped contractors from setting up work sites, building access roads and connecting utilities. It stressed that Dec. 24 is the final deadline for construction and equipment installation, and that there is no basis for further extension before the airport officially opens.

Why it matters. Long Thanh covers about 5,000 hectares and costs VND336.63 trillion (US$13.16 billion). It is meant to ease pressure on Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, 40 km to the west. The first phase has one runway and one passenger terminal, designed for 25 million passengers and 1.2 million tons of cargo a year. The delay concerns support facilities, not the runway or terminal. Even so, it adds uncertainty to the opening schedule.

What to do. If you plan logistics or aviation-linked business around the new airport, watch whether the Dec. 24 deadline holds. The source does not say whether the Ministry of Construction will approve the request, so check its decision.

 

 

2. Draft tourism resolution: tax breaks for very large projects

What happened. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism submitted a draft resolution on special tourism mechanisms and policies to the National Assembly on Saturday, Nov. 7. It has seven policy groups, including investment incentives, business support, the night-time economy, workforce training and infrastructure. Incentives would be tiered by capital, number of jobs and project type. They would be concentrated in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and Da Nang, plus tourism centers and national tourism areas.

• High-quality projects: total investment of at least VND3 trillion (at least VND1.5 trillion for tourism components) and at least 1,000 jobs. They could get infrastructure support and promotion priority. Domestic investors could also rent unused state-owned houses and land.
• Catalyst projects: at least VND10 trillion (at least VND5 trillion for tourism) and at least 1,500 jobs. On a five-year pilot basis, the corporate income tax rate could fall as low as 10%, half the standard 20%. Land rent could be exempted or reduced.
• Strategic projects: at least VND30 trillion (at least VND15 trillion for tourism) and at least 2,000 jobs. They could operate for up to 70 years, with up to four years of tax exemption and then up to nine years at a 50% cut.

Casino, prize-winning electronic gaming, betting and real estate components are excluded from all three tiers. Incentives would apply only to tourism activities.

Other items in the draft:

• A pilot cut of up to 30% in land rent for landscaped areas, green space, water surfaces and shared spaces at resort hotels rated four stars or above with gross building density below 25%.
• A pilot of up to five years allowing some large performance venues, festival streets and integrated entertainment zones to operate 24/7. Large international events held regularly could get a one-time license.
• Support for businesses opening new tourism air routes, and for travel and accommodation firms that sign long-term contracts to buy OCOP-certified products.
• Incentives for tourism-plus-healthcare models and for products using AI, VR and AR.

Why it matters. The draft shows Vietnam wants tourism to become a key sector supporting its double-digit growth target. But it is only a draft, and thresholds and benefits could change during National Assembly review. The thresholds are in the trillions of dong, so this is aimed at large integrated projects, not small operators. How the rules would apply to foreign investors is not detailed in the source [needs verification]. Some benefits, such as renting unused state-owned houses and land, are described for domestic investors.

 

 

3. Northern power: cutting 3,000 MW of peak demand in 2027

What happened. At a Nov. 7 meeting on power supply, the Minister of Industry and Trade set a target to cut northern peak-hour power consumption by about 3,000 MW in 2027. National demand is expected to grow about 10% next year, while new base-load capacity needs more time to be built. El Niño could last until around June 2027, and imported coal and LNG supply and prices could swing on geopolitical instability. The ministry expects 2028 to be harder still.

Key figures from the meeting:

• Northern electricity output is forecast at about 170.8 billion kWh in 2026, up 11.9%. Fourth-quarter northern demand is expected to rise about 14%, versus 13% nationally, with several northern and north-central provinces near 20%.
• According to EVN, commercial electricity grew 9.84% in the first ten months, for the first time roughly in line with GDP growth.
• Reservoir inflows are about 80% of the multi-year average, and hydropower output this year is expected to be about 18.5 billion kWh lower than in 2025.

Measures include filling hydropower reservoirs to the maximum by Dec. 31 and holding the water until the end of March 2027. The source says this is the first time the two ministries have agreed to extend water retention through the first quarter. Thermal power and electricity imports will be increased, and thermal plant repairs scheduled for January to April. Other measures are speeding up the link between the Cai Mep and Thi Vai LNG terminals, reviewing battery storage (BESS) investment, and expanding rooftop solar at industrial parks and public buildings.

Who is affected. Peak and off-peak pricing currently applies only to production and business customers. Peak hours are 17:30 to 22:30, Monday to Saturday. Off-peak hours are 0:00 to 6:00 every day. The minister said factories could rearrange operating schedules and move some demand to off-peak hours. If you run a factory or office in northern Vietnam, it is worth reviewing your evening and night operations and shift times now. This announcement is a target and an instruction, so whether mandatory power saving or tariff changes will follow is [needs verification]. The ministry plans to issue a directive once the 2027 operating plan is approved.

 

 

4. Green SM: 25% off from Nov. 8

Electric taxi operator Green SM (GSM) will automatically apply a 25% discount code to all rides booked on its platform from Nov. 8 to Feb. 28, 2027. The company says the aim is to ease travel costs during the year-end peak season. Drivers who work exclusively on the platform will receive 100% of the pre-discount fare and a waiver of platform fees (6% for cars, 6.7% for motorbikes). There are also free charging and a revenue-linked income support scheme.

The company says it had completed about 850 million trips by September. A discount lasting nearly four months could be a noticeable saving for residents traveling around year-end. Conditions by city or vehicle type are not given in the source, so check the app.

 

 

Takeaways

• The direction is clear on the airport, tourism and power, but execution still depends on schedule slippage (airport), National Assembly review (tourism) and follow-up directives (power).
• Before using any of this for business or investment decisions, check the original texts and consult local legal and tax professionals.

 

 

Frequently asked questions

Is the tourism special-mechanism resolution already in force?

No. It is a draft submitted to the National Assembly on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026. Thresholds and benefits could change during review.

Is the northern power-reduction target mandatory for businesses?

According to the source, it is a target and instruction from the Minister of Industry and Trade. No mandatory measures or tariff changes have been confirmed. Follow-up guidance is [needs verification].

Will the Long Thanh Airport opening date change?

The report covers a request to adjust the timeline for six catering, ground-handling and maintenance projects. The aviation authority said Dec. 24 is the final deadline and there is no basis for further extension.

 

 

Sources

• Authority proposes delaying Long Thanh airport catering, ground-handling projects
• Vietnam eyes 24/7 entertainment zones, tax holidays for billion-dollar tourism projects
• Bộ Công Thương muốn miền Bắc giảm 3.000 MW dùng điện giờ cao điểm
• Green SM giảm cước, tăng thu nhập cho tài xế

This article summarises publicly available reports and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Check with the relevant authorities or a qualified adviser before making important decisions.