Viet Nam-second preferred destination for Korean tourists

According to statistics from the immigration agency of South Korea, approximately 2.56 million South Koreans traveled to Viet Nam from January to September this year, a 389.7 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

The list is compiled based on the number of flight days. 

Some South Korean airlines have recently increased direct flights to Viet Nam's tourist centers. The largest budget airline, Jeju Air, will launch new direct routes from Seoul to the Central Highlands resort city of Da Lat on December 20 and a daily flight between Seoul and Phu Quoc Island in the southern province of Kien Giang this month. Eastar Jet Airlines last month resumed direct flights between Seoul and Cam Ranh in the central province of Khanh Hoa.

The number of foreign arrivals to Viet Nam surpassed 11.2 million in the past 11 months, representing a year-on-year increase of 280.2 percent, according to the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism.

South Korea was the biggest tourist source market with 3.2 million visitors, making up 28.5 percent.

In November alone, Viet Nam received over 1.23 million foreign visitors, or 11 percent higher than last month, accounting for 106.6 percent of that in the same period last year.

Noticeably, as many as 1.25 million foreigners entered Viet Nam since the introduction of new visa policy taking effective from August 15, an increase of 1.6 times against the same period last year.

The new visa policy extends visa-free stay from 15 to 45 days for those from 13 countries, and permits people from other 12 countries to enjoy 14-90 day visa exemption./.