Korean customers are considered easy-going, often staying at 4-5 star facilities in Vietnam and enjoy shopping and unique experiences.
According to a report in late September by digital payment company Visa, Vietnam ranked second among the five destinations where Korean tourists spent the most in Asia-Pacific in the first half of this year, after Japan.
Korean tourists’ spending on accommodation in Vietnam in the first 6 months of the year increased by 60% compared to the same period last year, accounting for 21% of total trip expenses. This shows the attractiveness of Vietnam to Korean tourists’ vacation needs.
Spending on necessities accounted for 21% and on food and drink accounted for 17%. At many popular tourist destinations in Vietnam, Korean visitors using electronic payments increased from 15% to 33% compared to the same period last year.
Steve Shim first came to Vietnam on Christmas 2023 and stayed for nearly three weeks. He returned to Vietnam in March to work and live permanently because he loved the place. Shim's Korean friends often describe Vietnam as a place with scenery "not easy to find in Korea or any neighboring countries".
According to the General Statistics Office, from the time it reopened to visitors in March 2022 to September this year, South Korea has always been the largest market sending visitors to Vietnam. In the first 9 months of the year, the number of Korean visitors to Vietnam ranked first with 3.3 million visitors, accounting for nearly 26% of the 12.7 million international visitors. In 2023, Vietnam welcomed 12.6 million visitors. International visitors, Korean visitors account for 30%.
Korean tourists' spending on tourism in the international market is gradually recovering before the pandemic. 2018 was the year when Korean tourists spent the most, with 31.5 billion USD, followed by 2019 with a total spending of 29.3 billion USD (calculated in the period 2013-2023). In 2023, the total spending of Korean tourists will reach more than 22.4 billion, a recovery rate of 76% compared to 2019, according to Statista.
According to the magazine Hotel & Restaurant South Korea and Vietnam are favorite foreign destinations for Korean tourists thanks to their short distances, reasonable prices and delicious cuisine.
Lee Jae Hoon, Chief Representative of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam, said Vietnam has many advantages in attracting Korean tourists. One of them is the many direct flights from Korea to major cities such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Phu Quoc, and Da Nang with affordable fares.
Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietlux Travel Company, said that diverse cuisine, different from many Southeast Asian countries, is also a factor that makes Vietnam an increasingly popular destination for Korean tourists.
Victoria Hoi An Director Pham Van Dung said that Korean guests account for 15% of the total number of guests served by the unit. Korean guests often travel in couples, friends or families, are willing to pay and pay high prices for food and massage services; like to try local dishes and like fresh seafood, massage services, and evening swimming pools.
In the mid-range segment, Koreans are considered by Mr. Dung to be easy-going, have a taste for travel, and focus on service quality.
Martin Korener, commercial director of The Anam Group, said that high-end Korean customers are often demanding in their luxury service standards. However, this is what drives the hotel industry to maintain excellent service quality, hygiene and modern amenities. Attractions such as golf and local markets are popular with Korean tourists. They also appreciate unique experiences such as mud baths and visits to cultural sites. Room rates at Anam resort on weekdays in October (not the peak tourist season) start from VND5 million. This is also an accommodation facility with about 70% of Korean guests.
“They have high expectations but are a customer group worth serving,” Mr. Korener added.
Nguyen Vu Quynh Anh, General Director of Sun Hospitality Group, said that the number of Korean visitors to hotels has been growing well, especially in the first months of the year. Korean visitors stay an average of 4-5 days. Previously, they often booked rooms through Korean travel agencies, but recently they tend to book directly on online room sales websites because they have access to more information and are more proactive. Korean visitors tend to spend a lot of money on accommodation, shopping, food, and entertainment services.
In response to the increase in the number of Korean tourists, The Anam Cam Ranh provides Korean language support in services, diverse culinary options and marketing tailored to Korean travel preferences. Sun Group hotels have special support policies for Korean guests such as flexible early check-in and late check-out times due to the late flight times of Korean flights to Phu Quoc and Da Nang.
To continue attracting this market segment, representatives of the units said that Vietnam needs to have more specialized and diverse products, focusing on the needs of family groups and groups of friends. Vietnam also needs to increase connections to new flight routes; form specialized products at destinations to serve the Korean customer segment; and increase online promotion activities to reach the needs of target Korean customer segments, according to Ms. Bao Thu.
According to KTO Chief Representative Lee Jae Hoon, Korean tourists to Vietnam not only stay in big cities but also visit many famous tourist destinations in other provinces. However, traveling between cities is still quite inconvenient for international visitors. This growing group of visitors has difficulty paying by credit cards, Korean payment apps but are not refunded or not accepted.
"I think Vietnam should improve these issues to attract more Korean tourists," said the KTO's chief representative in Vietnam.
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