The number of Vietnamese tourists buying tours to see the autumn scenery in South Korea has increased by 15-20% compared to the same period last year due to reasonable airfare and relaxed visa procedures.
Thao Nguyen, 29, living in Ho Chi Minh City, plans to spend 50-55 million VND on a self-guided trip to South Korea with her family of three in early November. For two consecutive years, Ms. Nguyen has chosen to travel to South Korea in the fall because it's cheaper than Japan and the visa application process is easier than Taiwan. She also finds the fall season appealing because of its pleasant weather, beautiful scenery, less crowds than summer, and not as cold as winter or spring. Furthermore, airfares to South Korea during the fall season are also past their peak.
"The plane tickets I booked for November cost around 4 million VND round trip, which is 1.5-2 million VND cheaper than during the summer," Ms. Nguyen said.
She added that applying for a South Korean visa is simpler and easier than applying for a Japanese or Taiwanese visa. The female traveler had initially considered Taiwan because of the similar cost, but found the self-application process to be more complicated and cumbersome. low pass rate better than going to Korea.
"Visa service providers quote 5 million VND for a visa application to Taiwan, but only 2.5 million VND for a visa to South Korea," Ms. Nguyen said, adding that she chose to apply for a single-entry tourist visa to South Korea through a service to save time and receive the results after 16 days.
Ms. Phuong Thao, from Hanoi , chose to book a 5-day, 4-night South Korea tour for her family of five, without joining a group tour, at a price of approximately 16 million VND per person. Ms. Thao believes that the price of the tour is within her budget and the itinerary suits the travel needs of her three-generation family.
"Japan tours are more expensive, Taiwan tours are about the same price, but since we've been there a few times, we chose Korea because the tour itinerary is more relaxed," said Ms. Thao, adding that buying a package tour for her family saves time on visa procedures and eliminates the need to worry about sightseeing spots, meals, and accommodation.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Vietnam ranked 5th globally and first in Southeast Asia in terms of tourist arrivals in 2023 with 420,000 visitors. In the first eight months of this year, South Korea welcomed 389,000 Vietnamese tourists, a 27% increase compared to the same period in 2023. The number of Vietnamese visitors to South Korea is expected to increase significantly during the autumn foliage season, when autumn leaves are at their most beautiful.
Grandfather Pham Anh Vu, Deputy General Director of the Tourism Company Viet said that compared to the same period last year, the number of Vietnamese tourists traveling to South Korea this autumn has grown strongly. As of October, the company's customer base has increased by 15-20% year-on-year.
"The price of South Korea tours in autumn is currently more competitive compared to some other Northeast Asian markets such as Japan or Taiwan," Mr. Vu said, adding that the company has promotional programs for South Korea tours such as buying 10 plane tickets and getting one free; discounts for groups of 3-4 people; and tặng vouchers for meals or souvenirs for customers who book tours early. Other factors such as reasonable airfare, from 4-6 million VND round trip, cool weather, and beautiful autumn foliage are motivating Vietnamese tourists to choose to travel to South Korea at this time.
According to KTO, Mount Seoraksan in Seorakan National Park, Gangwon Province, is the first place in South Korea to see autumn foliage turn yellow. The leaves begin to change color from September 29th and reach their peak red color in late October and early November.
Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director of Marketing and Communications at Vietlux Travel Company, said that by the end of September, the number of tourists traveling to South Korea had increased by about 30% compared to the same period in 2023.
According to a survey of several travel businesses in Ho Chi Minh City, round-trip airfare to South Korea in October-December ranges from 4-6 million VND. This year's price is considered reasonable compared to the same period in previous years, which was 5-7 million VND. Package tour prices range from 14 million VND to 28 million VND depending on destinations, services, and duration.
BenThanh Tourist is selling tours such as Seoul - Nami Island - Everland Park for 5 days and 4 nights, priced at 17 million VND. Meanwhile, a Taiwan tour from Taichung - Taipei - Kaohsiung for 6 days and 5 nights costs 16 million VND.
A 5-day, 4-night Seoul - Lotte World - Elysian Ski Resort tour costs 18 million VND, not much different from a 5-day, 4-night Chengdu - Jiuzhaigou tour in China, priced at 19 million VND. Japan tours are the most expensive in the Northeast Asia tour range, starting from 30 million VND.
Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu noted that tour and airfare prices in the South Korean market are being offered quite competitively by travel companies and airlines, aiming to stimulate demand and increase competitiveness with other Northeast Asian destinations.
According to a representative from Vietluxtour, Vietnamese tourists traveling to South Korea typically fall into two categories: those booking all-inclusive tours or those booking free & easy packages (including basic services like airfare and accommodation). Family groups often prefer all-inclusive tours because they offer comprehensive services. Office workers and young travelers tend to favor free & easy packages or book individual services to have more control over their itinerary.
Most Vietnamese tourists enjoy visiting and taking photos at their destinations. Many invest in professional outfits and cameras to capture the most beautiful images of their trips, especially during cherry blossom season and autumn.
"With our autumn tour program to South Korea, the company will place special emphasis on sightseeing experiences and dedicate more time to photo tours to meet the needs of tourists," said Ms. Bao Thu.
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