Though Vietnam remains a popular destination for South Korean, Japanese, and Taiwanese travelers, their awareness of the Southeast Asian country remains comparatively low.

The number of tourist arrivals from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan rose between 2015 and 2019 despite findings from market research firm The Outbox Company which showed travelers from these three markets had neither strong understandings nor strong impressions of Vietnam.

Of the 28.7 million South Koreans who traveled abroad in 2019, 4.3 million visited Vietnam. 

Vietnam was the second-leading destination for these travelers, following Japan. 

Those who chose other destinations represent missed opportunities for Vietnamese tourism to capture new customers.

Of the three markets mentioned in the report, South Korea boasts the most outbound travelers, followed by Japan and Taiwan, respectively. 

Travelers from these three tend to prefer Asian destinations, including Vietnam.

These tourists also tend to have relatively high budgets which increase by about seven percent each year.

In addition, more than 40 percent of South Korean and Japanese travelers are willing to spend considerably more money on outbound trips compared to domestic travel.

In terms of accommodation and general information, 40 percent of South Korean, Taiwanese, and Japanese tourists gravitate toward two- and three-star hotels.

Travelers from all three markets noted that safety was a prerequisite for their overseas travel decisions.

In terms of preferential differences between tourists from the three, the report from The Outbox Company revealed that South Korean tourists place great importance on accommodation, while Japanese visitors look forward to moments and experiences that they feel are worth the money they have spent on travel. 

Meanwhile, Taiwanese travelers place heavy focus on convenient transportation.

Compared to Japanese and South Korean tourists, Taiwanese are still comparatively hesitant to travel abroad due to fears of COVID-19.

About 36.4 percent of Taiwanese visitors are willing to pay more for outbound trips, but up to 40.7 percent intend to cut their travel spending in order to budget for their healthcare needs.

Phuoc Dang, CEO of The Outbox Company, said his firm hopes the report will help Vietnamese enterprises and destinations create new plans to attract more tourists from South Korea, Japan, and Taiwan, thereby contributing to Vietnam’s goal of welcoming eight million international tourists in 2023.

In terms of welcoming visitors from other Asian neighbors, Vietnamese enterprises worry about their prospects given China’s recently announced list of 20 countries where its tour agencies are allowed to take travelers to, with Vietnam excluded.

As a result, Vietnamese companies must look to other source markets.

Understanding the demands and behavior of visitors from these markets can help Vietnamese localities launch suitable tourism products.

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