South Korean tourists rate Vietnam highly in their list of international destinations, with Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and other coastal cities being the top favorites.
According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, South Korea continues to be the largest market sending visitors in the first 9 months of 2023 with nearly 2.6 million arrivals (accounting for 29% of the total number of international visitors to Vietnam since the beginning of the year).
South Korea is also among the markets with the best recovery rate, with the number of visitors equal to about 82% compared to the same period in 2019, before COVID-19.
According to a survey by Agoda platform, Korean tourists showed special preference when placing Vietnam at the top of the list of international tourist destinations.
Explaining this, Mr. Yong Sung Ok - Head of Southeast Asia of the top Korean travel company Hanatour said: "Vietnam is the most searched and popular country with Korean tourists recently. Geographically close, there are many flights, and airfares are also relatively cheap for Koreans."
In addition to what Mr. Yong Sung Ok shared, the reason why Korean tourists are “crazy” about Vietnam is because of its attractive destinations with diverse experiences. Da Nang, Ho Chi Minh City and coastal cities are especially popular destinations for Korean tourists in Vietnam.
Among them, Koreans love Da Nang the most because this city is a place for both sightseeing and entertainment.
“Da Nang is famous among Koreans. There are many attractive tourist attractions and excellent tourism infrastructure. The airport is close to the city, with many hotel and resort options. In addition, the infrastructure, transportation and security are all very good. Cuisine is also a strong point with dishes that are popular with Koreans,” said Yong Sung Ok, who had many compliments for the city of the Han River.
Recently, the Korean Financial News newspaper also pointed out that for every three international tourists, one is Korean. Korean tourists like the atmosphere of an ancient European town and are interested in places that are highly rated on the Instagram platform. In particular, Koreans also consider the Golden Bridge as one of the symbols of Vietnamese tourism.
“Going to Ba Na Hills is a great deal. It feels like getting an extra visa to Europe even though you are in Vietnam,” commented tourist Choi Hyun, from Gangwon Province, South Korea.
Cho Il-sang, from Seoul, said: “Besides the Golden Bridge, the tourist area is also famous for its all-in-one amusement park feature, where you can have many interesting and fun experiences at once.”
The coastal city of Phu Quoc is a rising star attracting tourists from the land of kimchi. South Korea's Yonhap News Agency commented that compared to Da Nang or Ha Long, Phu Quoc is still a little-known resort paradise.
According to a survey by Yonhap , the number of Korean tourists to Phu Quoc is gradually increasing thanks to word of mouth, and it is "wise to come here at this time, before this place becomes too famous".
The number of Korean tourists visiting the island is increasing, to the point that Korean signs can often be seen at restaurants and massage parlors in the center of the island city.
In addition to coastal cities that attract Korean tourists such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, Korean tourists are also starting to tend to choose high mountain destinations in Vietnam, especially Sa Pa, because there is a cable car to the top of Fansipan, similar to Ba Na.
Mr. Yong Sung Ok said that Koreans love mountains. “I personally like taking the cable car. I think the most attractive thing is being able to see the view from above,” he commented.
In the first 6 months of the year, Sun World Fansipan Legend recorded 14,300 Korean visitors, accounting for 11% of the total number of international visitors to this tourist area and an increase compared to previous years. On some days, Korean tourists even led the number of international visitors to this tourist area.
One of the reasons is the increase in the number of Korean visitors checking in on Instagram at this location. Korean visitors are “fascinated” by the cable car route crossing the impressive terraced fields typical of the Northwest region of Vietnam, or riding the red mountain train through the poetic Muong Hoa valley, which is no different from Switzerland.
In addition, conquering the height of Fansipan is also one of the reasons why Koreans find it exciting.
“Vietnam’s Fansipan peak is 3,143m high, almost twice as high as Halla, the highest mountain in Korea. This makes us excited,” said Jung Yuri, a tourist from Jeju Island, where Halla Mountain is located.
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