South Korea expects to attract 240,000 Vietnamese visitors this year, up 58% over last year, according to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam.
Le Thi Thu Trang, head of marketing at KTO in Vietnam, said the majority of Vietnamese tourists to Korea have purchased tours of Vietnam’s travel firms to many attractive destinations of Seoul, Pusan, Jeju and Gyeongju.
In the past, local tourists often chose to travel to Korea when weather became cool, but at present, they go there all year round, even in winter. There are seven carriers flying between the two nations.
In the upcoming Lunar New Year holiday, many flights are already fully booked, Trang told the Daily on December 6 before attending the Korean Night and Awards Ceremony 2016 in HCMC.
Korea has implemented effective strategies to lure Vietnamese visitors, introducing travelers to traditional Korean culture and food specialties. In addition, Korean tourism authorities have offered financial support for tour operators, and cooperated with them to introduce appropriate tourism products.
Trang said companies have offered fascinating programs to entice more travelers.