Korean Tourists in Vietnam: How New QR Payment Systems Enhance Your Travel Experience

Translation result

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism has reaffirmed South Korea as a top international market and rolled out a tailored, full-scale strategy to attract more visitors. The plan aims to spread Korean travel demand beyond hotspots like Da Nang, boost digital promotion, and dramatically simplify local payments—steps meant to extend stays and raise spending per visitor.

On the 17th (local time), Vietnamese outlets including Z News reported that Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, deputy director of the tourism administration, told a policy meeting with Lee Chang-geun, Vietnam’s tourism ambassador to South Korea, that Korea remains one of their most important strategic partner markets. She pointed to visa-free travel between the two countries, a dense network of direct flights linking major cities, and active marketing by local tourism businesses as major advantages. She added that ongoing diversification of tourism products and improved service quality are meeting the high expectations and discerning tastes of Korean visitors.

Deputy Director Mai singled out the overconcentration of Korean tourists along the central coast—especially Da Nang—as a core challenge. She urged broadening promotions to lesser-known but compelling destinations: the highlands around Sapa, Ninh Binh’s dramatic landscapes, Halong Bay cruises, and Phu Quoc’s premium resorts. The goal is to diversify travel experiences across Vietnam. Tran Thi Bao Tu, director of VietluxTour, noted that crowding in beach resorts like Nha Trang and Da Nang is natural, but now is the moment to promote new destinations that offer greater value and boost repeat visits.

Academics and research institutes have weighed in with deeper analysis. Dr. Duong Duc Minh of the Institute for Economic and Tourism Development says the COVID-19 pandemic fundamentally changed global tourism spending and service expectations. Travelers from Northeast Asia, including South Korea, now clearly favor high-quality accommodations and unique cultural experiences. That shift means Vietnam needs to expand high-value, luxury offerings tailored to these preferences rather than relying on sightseeing alone.

The ambassador outlined plans for a variety of online and offline initiatives this year to boost tourism ties and urged a shift in promotional tactics. He pointed out that real-time marketing through social media and prominent influencers now outperforms traditional advertising. With the market having moved from group package tours to more than 80% independent travel, providing up-to-the-minute information through the digital platforms Koreans prefer will be key to success.

A major test of the new strategy will be the full rollout of a Korea–Vietnam real-time QR payment system. Starting in April, Korean tourists should be able to pay instantly at Vietnamese merchants by scanning a QR code with the same payment apps they use at home—bypassing complex currency-exchange steps. Greater payment convenience, along with improved local transport and easier access to digital information, is expected to boost satisfaction and help position Vietnam as one of the most comfortable overseas destinations for Koreans.

Meanwhile, the tourism administration plans to produce Korea-specific brochures and distribute high-resolution promotional videos by region and theme. The campaign will showcase Vietnam’s distinctive culinary scene and offbeat activities, mobilizing potential visitors and Vietnamese communities worldwide to amplify promotion. In fact, roughly 1 million Koreans visited Vietnam in January and February this year, and Korea remains by far the top source of international tourists to Vietnam.

The Vietnamese government believes that tailored promotion highlighting each region’s unique appeal—from the scenic northern mountains to the southern Mekong Delta—will be decisive in growing its share of the Korean market. It plans to accelerate development of hybrid tourism products in collaboration with local governments and private companies.