In the first 10 months of this year alone, about 3.7 million Korean tourists visited Vietnam, an increase of 28% over the same period last year. Currently, Korea has become the largest source of international visitors to Vietnam, accounting for more than 26% of the total number of international visitors after 10 months.
South Korea remains the leading market sending visitors with nearly 400,000 arrivals. Next is mainland China with nearly 340,000 arrivals in November. The remaining names in the top 10 include visitors from Taiwan, Japan, India, the US, Cambodia, and Australia. Visitors arriving by air account for the majority with more than 1.4 million arrivals, followed by road with more than 277,000 arrivals and by sea with 32,000 arrivals.
Earlier this year, the Korean actor caused a stir on social networks in both countries with a series of vlogs about traveling to Vietnam.
In addition, Koreans are considered to be the group of customers who spend a lot of money in the Vietnamese market. Korean customers are considered to be "easy to please", often stay at 4-5 star facilities in Vietnam and enjoy shopping and unique experiences.
According to a report released in late November by digital payment company Visa, Vietnam ranked second among the top five destinations for Korean tourists in Asia-Pacific in the first half of this year, after Japan. Korean tourists’ spending on accommodation in Vietnam in the first six months of the year increased by 60% compared to the same period last year, accounting for 21% of the total trip cost. This shows the attractiveness of Vietnam to Korean tourists’ vacation needs.
Vietnam is famous for its many scenic spots and is a preferred destination for many Korean tourists.
In particular, this summer, "mango" and "Nha Trang" are two hot words on search platforms in Vietnam and Korea. Because in just 2 days of traveling to Nha Trang, actor Park Hae Jin and his group of friends ate up to 25kg of mango and shared this "satisfaction" on their personal social networks. In addition to Park Hae Jin, many famous Korean actors and singers continuously share check-in photos in Vietnam on their personal pages. The image of Vietnam has become closer to Korean people. And it is really "close" because with only 4.5 to 6 hours of direct flight, it is a very suitable flight time for Korean tourists to Vietnam.
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, total spending by Korean tourists will reach more than 22.4 billion, a recovery rate of 76% compared to 2019, according to Statista. According to the Korean magazine Hotel & Restaurant, Vietnam is a favorite foreign destination for Korean tourists thanks to its short distance, reasonable prices and delicious cuisine.
