Chief Representative of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) in Vietnam Lee Jae Hoon announced the above information at the signing ceremony of a cooperation agreement between the Vietnam Tourism Association (VITA) and KTO in Hanoi on September 28. The cooperation content is to promote the exchange of tourists between the two countries, closely coordinate management to ensure tourists "go to their destination and return home safely", and share tourism information and policies.

Mr. Lee said that by the end of the year, the number of Vietnamese visitors to Korea is expected to reach 420,000, equal to 85% compared to the same period in 2019. Among the international tourist markets to Korea, Vietnam ranks 5th-6th. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam ranks first in terms of the number of visitors in the first 9 months of the year.

On the other hand, according to data from the National Tourism Administration, in the first 8 months of the year, South Korea was the largest market sending visitors to Vietnam with more than 2.27 million arrivals. Da Nang is the most popular destination for Korean visitors because it has many flight routes and is suitable for families and young people, according to the KTO representative. Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are suitable for Korean visitors to do business and play golf. Nha Trang, Da Lat and Phu Quoc have recently begun to attract Korean visitors.

VITA Chairman Vu The Binh said that attracting Korean tourists is an important goal because this is Vietnam's largest tourist market after the pandemic. Korea is also a "fast-growing, well-recovering" market. It is expected that by the end of the year, the number of Korean tourists will reach 3-3.2 million. With this recovery momentum, Vietnam can completely welcome the same number of Korean tourists as before the pandemic in 2024.

Mr. Binh hopes that after the latest cooperation on tourism between the two countries, in 2024 the number of Vietnamese tourists to Korea will exceed the 500,000 arrivals before the pandemic. The number of Korean tourists to Vietnam is also the same as before the pandemic. "The exchange of tourists between the two countries will reach a new high, this is the goal that both sides are aiming for," Mr. Binh said.

Phuong Anh