A representative of the Jeju Tourism Promotion Agency in Vietnam said that Scoot's recent refusal to allow Vietnamese and some other foreign tourists to fly the Singapore - Jeju route was the airline's own decision; and currently, Jeju Island's visa exemption policy for Vietnamese tourists using direct flights has not changed.
Since June 1, 2022, Jeju Island has restored its visa-free entry policy for citizens from 180 countries around the world, including Vietnam. In June 2022, the total number of foreign visitors to Jeju reached 24,190, including 274 Vietnamese tourists. However, there have been many cases of foreign tourists taking advantage of the visa-free policy, entering for tourism purposes and staying illegally on the island. Therefore, the Korean Ministry of Justice has tightened control over entry to Jeju Island in particular and Korea in general.
Jeju Island is a famous destination in Korea.
Accordingly, although the visa exemption policy for tourists from Vietnam and other countries has not changed, when entering Jeju, tourists will need to undergo strict review by the Korean Immigration Office.
Whether or not to enter the country is under the authority and function of the agency under the Ministry of Justice of Korea, and will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. Visitors may be denied entry if their purpose of travel is suspected. Scoot's refusal of Vietnamese visitors may be to prevent the case of being denied entry when arriving in Jeju, in which case the airline will have to bear quite a lot of related costs.
A representative of the Jeju Tourism Promotion Agency in Vietnam added: "Due to some current restrictions on entry, tourists should pay attention and find out information clearly before booking airline tickets, as well as using tourism products from reputable travel companies.
To avoid unnecessary losses, visitors can apply for a tourist visa and enter at Incheon or other domestic airports, then continue to travel to Jeju. The Jeju Island government has been constantly working with travel companies to develop Jeju products and working with airlines to be able to operate direct flights to Jeju, creating favorable conditions for Vietnamese tourists."
Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Jeju Island was a favorite destination for Vietnamese people with about 29,000 visitors per year. However, although the island has reopened since June 1, travel agencies said that visa-free tours to Jeju from Vietnam have been recovering slowly due to few flights and high costs. Currently, Vietnamese tourists to Jeju mainly have visas and enter at other locations, then move to Jeju Island.
