Korean tourists like Da Lat because its climate is much cooler than most popular tourist destinations in Vietnam such as Da Nang and Nha Trang.
Aram Jeong, who lives in Seoul, has visited Vietnam many times and toured popular destinations for Korean tourists such as Hanoi , Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hoi An (Quang Nam), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), and Mui Ne (Binh Thuan). In May, she decided to visit Da Lat after watching some reality TV shows filmed in Da Lat about the daily lives of Korean celebrities.
Upon arrival, Jeong felt a sense of familiarity due to the city's cool climate, similar to Seoul. Additionally, the female tourist noted that the cuisine in Da Lat, and Vietnam in general, suited Korean tastes quite well.
"I like many things about Da Lat, especially the beautiful cafes. The atmosphere of Da Lat is unique," she said. However, the female tourist said she still encountered difficulties during her time in Da Lat due to the lack of foreign language signs. She thinks that tourist establishments in the city and suburbs should add Korean language to their signs and menus to better serve tourists from Korea.
Tourist Min Seok also learned about Da Lat through a television program and visited the city in February. He commented that the climate in the city is much more pleasant than in other places in Vietnam. The low cost of travel is also a reason why many Korean tourists love this city.
According to Agoda's data, in 2023, South Korean tourists continued to favor traditional destinations in Vietnam as before the pandemic, including Da Nang, Phu Quoc (Kien Giang), Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa), Ho Chi Minh City, and Hanoi. However, in the last four months, South Korea has been the most interested international tourist market for Da Lat, ranking above the US, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Recognizing the rapid increase in Korean tourists, Viet Challenge Tours, a company specializing in adventure tours in Da Lat, has launched a separate page specifically to cater to this group.
"People in Da Lat can easily see that the number of Korean tourists is increasing rapidly. They are everywhere," a company representative said.
Photo of Da Lat train station taken by Ozi in December 2022. Photo: Provided by the subject.
According to Viet Challenge Tours, Da Lat has a geography quite similar to South Korea, with many high mountains and pleasant weather year-round. When mentioning Da Lat, Korean tourists often think of Lang Biang, Cu Lan Village, and the night market. These are all locations featured in shows shown on Korean television.
Yeong, a South Korean tourist who visited Da Lat in August after seeing many positive reports about the city on television, said she liked the peaceful scenery in Da Lat, especially in some areas far from the city center such as Cu Lan Village (Lac Duong, Lam Dong) and Lang Biang.
"Da Lat has only recently gained attention from Koreans. I think it will be a top destination in the future," she said.
According to a survey by VnExpress , South Korean television stations such as MBC, KBS, and SBS broadcast quite a lot of advertisements about Vietnamese tourism. Ozi, who lives in Seoul, believes that Da Lat "scores points" in the eyes of South Korean tourists thanks to the TV show "I Live Alone." This show, which was filmed in Da Lat in 2022, sparked curiosity among South Koreans about street food and scenery.
"Da Lat isn't too crowded and has lots of great street food. I really like this place," she said.
The female tourist visited Linh Phuoc Pagoda during her trip to Da Lat and was particularly impressed with its architecture. The picturesque scenery of Da Lat train station was also a highlight of her journey. Ozi added that Da Lat's climate is perfect for enjoying grilled food. This made Ozi feel a sense of familiarity with her daily life in Seoul.
Experience a jeep tour in Cu Lan Village - a destination about 22 km from Da Lat. Photo: Triphunter
The fact that tourism in Da Lat, or the entire Lam Dong province, has attracted the attention of people from South Korea also stems from efforts to promote the image of the locality. According to Lam Dong Newspaper, Lam Dong and South Korea have had many cooperative activities in the field of tourism, such as operating infrequent flights from Jeju/Incheon/Cheongju/Muan to Da Lat; organizing and welcoming famtrip and presstrip delegations from South Korea to survey tourism services in Da Lat and Lam Dong.
In August, a delegation from Lam Dong province also visited South Korea to promote tourism, trade, and attract investment in Lam Dong in the tourism and service sectors, as well as to reopen direct flights from South Korea to Lien Khuong International Airport (Lam Dong).
Speaking to VnExpress , an official in Da Lat said that the city has established sister city relationships with two South Korean localities, Chuncheon and Busan. Every year, delegations from both sides exchange visits and work together. In addition, Da Lat also sends an official to South Korea each year for study and experience exchange, and vice versa.
Da Lat is also a member of the TPO Asia Pacific Cities Tourist Organization, headquartered in Busan. Therefore, promoting the city's image to people in South Korea is more effective.
Recently, two accidents in the Cu Lan and Lang Biang villages resulted in the deaths of five South Korean tourists. However, Ozi doesn't think Vietnam is an unsafe destination after these two incidents. Choi, who lives in Seoul and visited Da Lat in August, also believes Da Lat remains attractive to South Korean tourists. The male tourist suggested that Vietnamese travel agencies need to be better prepared in terms of personnel to avoid similar incidents that could damage the city's image.
Tu Nguyen
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