The Korea Tourism Organization is promoting several activities in the second half of 2023, including visa-free entry and free tours for transit stays of up to 72 hours.

"RIDE THE KOREAN WAVE" - "SURFING THE KOREAN WAVE"

2023 marked the beginning of the 2023-2024 Korean Tourism Year with the slogan "Ride the Korean Wave". True to the spirit of "Riding the Korean Wave," since the beginning of the year, KTO Vietnam has organized many special tourism promotion programs such as: the Jeollabuk-do Province Tourism Seminar; the Incheon City Tourism Seminar; the Gyeongsangbuk-do Province Tourism Seminar; and especially the Chef Show 2023, which was incredibly successful in Hanoi with nearly 1000 attendees over 3 days, receiving widespread acclaim and appreciation from the audience.

In late March and early April, KTO broadcast the music program "Busking Hello Korea," featuring singers from both Vietnam and Korea such as Vu Cat Tuong, Andiez, Cara, Luc Huy, Roy Nguyen, Kisu, and Hoondoo. The program, consisting of two episodes, was uploaded to platforms like YouTube, Facebook, and Vieon, garnering nearly 4 million views and trending on TikTok with a total of nearly 130 million hashtag views. In the program, the singers not only performed amidst the stunning scenery of Seoraksan Mountain or the snow-covered Yongpyong Resort, but also visited famous landmarks in Gangwon-do such as Gangneung Beach, Sokcho Beach, Naksansa Temple, Sokcho Seafood Market, and the ARTE Museum.

Following the success of previous years, the MICE Roadshow 2023, a MICE tourism conference, was successfully held in both Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City in early June. It attracted 50 representatives from 24 Korean companies, 150 representatives from Vietnamese tourism promotion agencies, airlines, travel companies, and numerous media outlets. The program served as a platform to connect and expand cooperation opportunities between businesses and travel agencies of both countries, thereby developing more attractive Korean tourism products and attracting more tourists.

In addition to organizing events, KTO actively participates in programs organized by Vietnamese and Korean agencies, such as the Korean Cultural Road Festival, the Hanoi City Tourism Festival, the VITM 2023 International Tourism Fair, and the K-pop Lover Festival. At the VITM 2023 International Tourism Fair, KTO participated with 16 booths, winning numerous awards such as the largest booth, the most impressive booth design, and the booth with the most attractive activities for visitors. VITM is an annual event that KTO always values ​​and considers one of the best opportunities to connect more closely with Vietnamese tourists.

After a very active first half of the year with numerous consecutive activities, KTO Vietnam is also actively organizing and participating in a variety of programs in the second half of 2023. These include: the Korea Transit Tourism Seminar, the Korea Study Abroad Seminar, the ITE International Tourism Fair… Along with that, there are plans for famtours to experience Korean tourism, and sales calls to travel companies in Vietnam. KTO is always actively working towards its goal of reaching nearly 400,000 Vietnamese tourists in 2023, achieving 70% of the pre-pandemic level.

MANY ATTRACTIVE DESTINATIONS IN SOUTH KOREA ARE WAITING FOR YOU

Recently, with the announcement of the 2023-2024 Top 100 Tourist Destinations in Korea, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) aims to focus on promoting local tourism, offering fresh perspectives on Korean tourism to visitors worldwide. The list includes 61 heritage sites, buildings, and entertainment facilities, and 39 natural sites such as mountains, forests, beaches, and wetlands. Among these, 33 are new additions to the previous list, and 14 have appeared on the list for six consecutive years, including the five royal palaces in Seoul, the Jeju Olle Trail, Jeonju Hanok Village, Bulguksa Temple, and Seokguram Cave, all popular with both domestic and international tourists.

“Vietnam is an important market for Korean tourism, so KTO always focuses on and actively promotes tourism in Vietnam. I sincerely hope that Vietnamese tourists will continue to love Korean tourism and look forward to more new activities from KTO in the future. Based on the current positive figures, I also hope that this year, Korea can welcome around 70% of the number of Vietnamese tourists compared to 2019, before the Corona pandemic.”- Mr. Lee Jae Hoon, Chief Representative of the Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam, delivered a speech.

EXPERIENCE SOUTH KOREA COMPLETELY FREE WITH OUR TRANSIT TOUR

A fun and completely free experience you shouldn't miss if you have the chance to transit in South Korea – participate in a Korean cultural experience right at the airport with many activities: try on Korean Hanbok in various styles, make Hangeul bracelets (Korean alphabet), practice Korean calligraphy, decorate Hanbok, and experience Tuho – a traditional Korean game. Visitors can participate in these free experiences at the K Culture Zone (Floor 4, Terminals 1 & 2) from 7:00 AM to 4:00 PM daily.

Additionally, travelers can conveniently and freely experience the unique features of South Korea through the following 14 transit tours:

• Past and Present - Cheongwadae (Blue House) & Tong-in Market (5 hours)
• DMZ - Underground Tunnel & Dorasan Observatory (5 hours)
• Tradition - Gyeongbokgung Palace & Insadong (5 hours)
• Division of Korea - Imjingak Peace Park & ​​Dokgae Bridge (5 hours)
• Cave theme park - Gwangmyeong Cave (4 hours)
• Street - Mangwon Market & Hongdae Street (4 hours)
• Temples - Yonggungsa (1 hour), Jeondeungsa (5 hours)
• Peaceful - Imjingak Peace Nuri Park & ​​Dokgae bridge (5 hours)
• Shopping - Hyundai Premium Outlet& Triple Street (3 hours)
• Experience - Hanji experience& Sinpo Market (3 hours)
• Songdo - Central Park, Water Taxi & Tri Bowl (2 hours)
• Landscape - Yedanpo Trail& Haneul Garden (2 hours)
• Future - Hyundai Motor Studio& Yeongjong Bridge Observatory (5 hours)
• ICN Delights - Airport Tour (1 hour)

Re-implementing the policy of waiving transit visas for foreign visitors.

The South Korean Ministry of Justice announced that starting April 30, 2023, it will gradually reinstate the visa-free transit policy for foreign tourists, which had been restricted since February 2020, in order to strengthen measures to combat the COVID-19 pandemic.

The reintroduction of the transit visa exemption policy for foreign tourists is one of the projects promoting "measures to stimulate domestic demand" outlined in the "15th Emergency Economic and Social Affairs Meeting" held on March 29, 2023, chaired by the President.

Contact information:

Representative Office of the Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam

Address: Room 1302, 13th Floor, CharmVit Building

117 Tran Duy Hung Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi

Phone: +84-24-3556-4242

Website: www.visitkorea.org.vn | www.visitkorea.or.kr