RoK tourists favour Vietnam for Lunar New Year Festival: tour operators
Vietnam is still a favourite tourist destination for Republic of Korea travellers on the upcoming Seollal or Korean Lunar New Year - a holiday and celebration which marks the first day of the Korean Lunar Calendar.
Golden Bridge - a tourist attraction in the central city of Da Nang. (Photo: VNA)
Seoul (VNA) 𓂃– Vietnam is still a favouritetourist destination for Republic of Korea travellers on the upcoming Seollalor Korean Lunar New Year - a holiday and celebration whi𝓡chmarks the first day of the Korean Lunar Calendar.
This year, Seollal falls on January 22. Data from travel agencies in the Republic of Korea showsthat the demand for overseas travel of people in the country during the Seollalis high even though the holiday only lasts four days. As of the beginning of January 2023, travel agencies soldout 80% of the total air tickets that they prepare for the holiday. Favourite destinations selected by Korean travellers include Japan, Vietnam, and some other Southeast Asian countries.
Vietnam is still a favourite tourist destination for Republic of Korea travellers on the upcoming Seollal or Korean Lunar New Year. (Photo: vnexpress.net)
An official of Korea’s travel agency MODETOUR said that itsold out about 87% of tickets departing during the Lunar New Year festival, ofwhich tickets to Japan’s Osaka sold out the fastest. Hanjin Travel also confirmed that all tickets for charterflights to Japan’s Kagoshima province departing during the holiday this yearwere sold out. Due to the short holiday period, tourist destinations nearKorea such as Japan and Southeast Asian countries are very popular. According to Hana Tour Company, as of January 9, its toursstarting from January 20 to 24 were booked with 54% to Southeast Asia, 30% toJapan, and 7% to Europe. Specifically, in Southeast Asia, 36% of its clients chooseVietnam, 17% choose Thailand, 12% choose the Philippines and 7% choose Taiwan(China). The RoK tourism industry considers these very positivesigns of recovery since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. A survey by major tour operators in the country shows thatmore than 80% of products that they planned to offer during the lunar new yearholiday have been welcomed by customers. An official from Lotte Tour said that so far all of itsplans are still in progress without any changes or problems. Compared to threeyears ago, this is the recovery starting from zero to 100./.
The resort city of Da Lat in the Central Highland province of Lam Dong has so far this year welcomed about 140,000 foreign visitors, 25% of them from the Republic of Korea (RoK), according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The south-central coastal province of Khanh Hoa welcomed more than 3,600 foreign visitors in the first two days of this year as 21 flights landed at its Cam Ranh International Airport, according to the provincial Department of Tourism.
Vietnam saw 3.66 million foreign tourist arrivals last year, and those from the Republic of Korea (RoK) accounted for the largest proportion with over 965,000, or 26.4%.
The first and only direct service connecting the two countries at the moment is set to operate three times per week using the modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Mu Cang Chai is home to nearly 83,000 hectares of forest, including almost 60,000 hectares of unspoiled natural woodland. Recognising this potential, local authorities have embraced a holistic strategy that protects biodiversity while promoting tourism.
Phu Quoc ranks among the top 10 leading tourist islands in Asia. As the largest island in Vietnam, it boasts stunning natural beauty, with expansive coral reefs resting beneath the sea and a number of beautiful, poetic beaches such as Sao, Truong, and Khem, known for their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are among the exhibitors, promoting key destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc, as well as distinctive tourism products.
Alexander Musikhin, Vice President of ATOR and CEO of the Intourist travel agency, highlighted Vietnam as a top destination offering a unique blend of beach holidays and cultural excursions.
According to Seoul’s Tourism Industry Department, approximately 20,000 Vietnamese visitors travel to the city each year for medical treatment. Vietnam consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest number of medical tourists to Seoul.
An analysis of accommodation search data based on check-in dates for June and July revealed that Nha Trang surpassed all other destinations in popularity among Korean users.
The programme is organised by the Khanh Hoa provincial Youth Union and the “Khanh Hoa people speak English” Project, and aims to promote the culture, history, cuisine and other tourism products of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa to international visitors.
VNAT Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh called visa a golden ticket to pulling in crowds, but he is clear that it needs coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to keep the momentum going in this fast-moving global travel scene.
As a tourism hub, Hanoi is now actively developing strategies to attract Muslim travellers. In recent years, the city has seen a notable uptick in visitors from countries with large Muslim populations.
When tourists witness firsthand the passion and care of farmers, they’re willing to pay higher prices because they see the genuine worth behind every product.
During the first five months, China continued to be Vietnam's largest source market of tourists, followed by the RoK, China’s Taiwan, the US, and Japan.
After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the free tours in Bac Ninh province shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.
Typical products of Phu Tho are being showcased at the Lao Cai International Travel Mart 2025, held in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai from June 5-8.
Featuring 130 stalls and delegations from 120 travel agencies representing more than ten countries and territories, the event is expected to provide a platform for establishing partnerships and attracting more visitors to Lao Cai in the future.
Kicking off the festival on the evening of June 7 will be the grand music concert titled “Nha Trang Say Hi”, featuring popular artists from the trending show “Anh Trai Say Hi”. The event will be broadcast live nationwide and conclude with a fireworks display over Nha Trang Bay.
Data from Booking.com reveals that during the peak summer vacation in June and July, beach trips continue to be a top priority for Vietnamese travellers.
The northern midland province of Phu Tho has carried out all-round measures to improve tourism infrastructure, services, and offerings, elevating visitor experience and reinforcing the province’s unique cultural identity.
Hanoi has directed lodging providers and tourist destinations to bolster preparations in staffing, service quality, security, and sanitation. Community-based lodging platforms such as Airbnb are also being promoted strongly to expand housing supply during the holiday period.
Golden Bridge - a tourist attraction in the central city of Da Nang. (Photo: VNA) 
Vietnam is still a favourite tourist destination for Republic of Korea travellers on the upcoming Seollal or Korean Lunar New Year. (Photo: vnexpress.net) 
