Vietnam ranks second in Southeast Asia for visitors to South Korea, with nearly 370,000 arrivals in the first 7 months of the year, an 8% increase compared to the same period last year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam. The Philippines ranked first with over 383,000 arrivals.
Conversely, in the first 7 months of the year, over 2.5 million South Korean tourists entered Vietnam out of a total of over 12 million international visitors. South Korea is the second largest source of tourists to Vietnam globally, following China with 3.1 million visitors.
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Cherry blossom festival in Gyeongju, South Korea. Photo: KTO |
Cherry blossom festival in Gyeongju, South Korea. Photo: KTO
2024 is considered a landmark year for tourism between the two countries, as the total number of visitors between Vietnam and South Korea exceeded 5 million for the first time. Nearly 4.6 million South Korean tourists visited Vietnam, making South Korea the largest source market, surpassing China. "This demonstrates the growing appeal of South Korea for Vietnamese tourists and vice-versa," according to KTO Vietnam.
South Korea is also taking steps to further tap into the Vietnamese tourism market. From 4/9 to 6/9, KTO Vietnam hosted a booth at the 19th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC) to promote new products and experiences designed to attract Vietnamese tourists, such as "Fall in Korea," a simulated traditional South Korean market, and a "Nightlife in Korea" space.
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Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan at night. Photo: KTO |
Gamcheon Culture Village, Busan at night. Photo: KTO
Numerous local tourism promotion agencies, including those from Jeju Island, Gyeonggi Province, and Seoul, were present at the event to provide direct consultations to Vietnamese tourists and businesses planning trips to South Korea. Visitors who purchased tours to South Korea at the expo received discounts and gifts. For businesses, South Korea offered support of 10,000 won (nearly 200,000 VND) per tourist for groups of 10 or more, staying a minimum of two days and one night.
Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of Viet Travel, stated that South Korea has always been a favorite destination for Vietnamese tourists, with tours accounting for 10-15% of total visitors in other markets. South Korea offers many attractions, such as culture, cuisine, film and music influences, distinct four-season scenery, and affordable tours starting at 15 million VND. Vietnamese tourists can visit in spring to see cherry blossoms, in autumn to admire the fall foliage, or in winter to experience snowfall. The Seoul-Nami-Everland tour is the most popular, considered a staple itinerary from Vietnam due to its familiarity and popular destinations.
Phuong Anh
