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In the first 10 months of this year alone, approximately 3.7 million South Korean tourists visited Vietnam, a 28% increase compared to the same period last year. Currently, South Korea has become the largest source of international visitors to Vietnam, accounting for over 26% of the total international visitors after 10 months.
South Korea remains the leading source market with nearly 400,000 arrivals. This is followed by mainland China with nearly 340,000 arrivals in November. The remaining names in the top 10 include visitors from Taiwan, Japan, India, the United States, Cambodia, and Australia. Arrivals by air accounted for the majority with over 1.4 million arrivals, followed by land with over 277,000 arrivals and sea with 32,000 arrivals.
Earlier this year, the South Korean actor caused a sensation on social media in both countries with his series of travel vlogs about Vietnam.
Furthermore, South Koreans are considered a high-spending segment of the Vietnamese market. Korean tourists are seen as "easy to please," often staying at 4-5 star establishments in Vietnam and enjoying shopping and unique experiences.
According to a report released in late November by digital payment company Visa, Vietnam ranked second among the top five spending destinations for South Korean tourists in the Asia-Pacific region in the first half of this year, after Japan. Spending on accommodation by South Korean tourists in Vietnam increased by 60% year-on-year, accounting for 21% of total trip expenses. This demonstrates Vietnam's strong appeal to South Korean tourists seeking leisure travel.
Vietnam, famous for its many scenic attractions, is a preferred destination for many South Korean tourists.
This summer, in particular, "mangoes" and "Nha Trang" were trending topics on search engines in Vietnam and South Korea. In just two days of traveling to Nha Trang, actor Park Hae Jin and his friends ate 25kg of mangoes and shared their "satisfaction" on their personal social media accounts. Besides Park Hae Jin, many other famous Korean actors and singers also continuously shared photos of themselves checking in at Vietnam on their personal pages. The image of Vietnam has become closer to Koreans. And it truly is "closer" because the 4.5 to 6 hour direct flight is a very convenient time for Korean tourists to visit Vietnam.
Korean tourists' spending on international travel is gradually recovering from the pre-pandemic period. 2018 was the year with the highest spending by Korean tourists, reaching $31.5 billion, followed by 2019 with total spending of $29.3 billion (calculated over the period 2013-2023). In 2023, total spending by Korean tourists reached over $22.4 billion, achieving a recovery rate of 76% compared to 2019, according to Statista. According to the Korean magazine Hotel & Restaurant, Vietnam is a favorite overseas destination for Korean tourists due to its short distance, reasonable prices, and palatable cuisine.
