According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, South Korea will maintain its position as the largest market sending visitors to Vietnam in 2024 with 4.5 million arrivals (accounting for 25.98%).
From 2015 to 2019, the number of Korean visitors to Vietnam increased dramatically, from 1.1 million to 4.3 million (an increase of nearly 4 times). The average growth rate in the period 2015 - 2019 reached 40.1%/year, the highest among the source markets sending visitors to Vietnam.
Not only stopping at tourism statistics, in Korea, Vietnam's attraction is clearly shown through the content posted on media channels.
On December 15, 2024, the travel entertainment program Punghyanggo with famous hosts including MC Yoo Jae-seok, Yang Se-chan, Ji Seok-jin and Hwang Jung-min aired its first episode. The video content is nearly 1 hour and 40 minutes long, recording the members' experiences visiting Sa Pa, Vietnam.
The interesting feature of the Punghyanggo program is that members travel independently and are not allowed to use any phone applications except for the calling function.
After more than 1 month of posting, the Sa Pa travel episode attracted more than 11 million views and more than 14,000 comments on YouTube. The show became a hot topic of discussion on social networks Naver, Twitter, Instagram...
In the era of short video trend, the fact that a 100-minute entertainment show reaches tens of millions of views is considered a success for Punghyanggo. The charm of the hosts along with the new discovery location of Sa Pa created a fever for the first episode of Punghyanggo.
In episode 2, the program recorded a 1 hour and 50 minute journey to visit the capital Hanoi, Vietnam and continued to receive more than 9 million views and more than 11,000 comments on YouTube after only 1 month.
In the comments section, many viewers thanked the show for helping them learn about Vietnam in a natural, unscripted way. Viewers were delighted with the cheap prices and delicious food at the places the Punghyanggo show visited.
It is worth mentioning that because the four characters were not allowed to use their phones during their trip, they could not find famous restaurants. They often went to random restaurants on the side of the road, but were all satisfied with the quality of the food and the prices. It was the fact that they traveled with little preparation, as well as turning off their phones to talk to each other more, that made their journey to explore Vietnam so well received by the audience.
With its own unique appeal, Vietnam can now compete with Japan, becoming one of the most attractive destinations for Korean tourists in the Asia-Pacific region.
According to the Korean newspaper Maekyung, visitors to Vietnam mainly spend a lot of money on accommodation and transportation. Spending on food and essential items is significantly cheaper than in Korea. Vietnam's infrastructure is improving, but prices are affordable. Korean visitors are increasingly inclined to stay in Vietnam for a long time to relax.
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Vietnam was already a favorite destination for Koreans. The long dark period caused by the pandemic has passed and the tourism industry is showing explosive resilience. Among many options, Korean tourists are still flocking to Vietnam. This shows that Vietnam certainly has charms that attract Korean tourists. This trend is unlikely to change," an article in Maekyung newspaper quoted.
In addition, air connectivity between the two countries is increasingly convenient. As of July 2024, Vietnam Airlines operates 06 direct routes: Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City - Seoul; Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City - Busan; Da Nang - Seoul and Cam Ranh - Seoul, with an average frequency of up to 112 flights per week. Vietjet has 37 regular and charter routes between Vietnam and Korea.
Vietnam’s tourism price competitiveness is increasingly dominant compared to neighboring countries. The promotion of new destinations such as Sa Pa in Korea will help Vietnam’s tourism have more opportunities to develop in 2025.
