Hanoi (VNA) – Korean Air will start direct flights connecting Seoul to Phu Quoc resort island in southern Viet꧑nam, also known as the Pearl Island, from the end of November 2023 to meet the꧅ increasing travel demand of Korean tourists to Vietnam's largest island.

Starting from November 26, 2023, the Korean carrier will operate a daily return flight on the route, which departs from Seoul, the Republic of Korea (RoK) at 3:45 pm (local time) and arrives in Phu Quoc at 7:50 pm. The return trip from Phu Quoc will depart at 9:20 pm and arrive at Seoul’s Incheon airport at 4:50 am the next morning (local time).

A perfect choice in winter

Korean Air's opening of the route signals that Phu Quoc will witness an influx of Korean tourists besides their popular destinations like Da Nang and Nha Trang. According to a survey by RoK’s news agency Yonhap, the number of Korean tourists to Phu Quoc is gradually increasing thanks to the word-of-mouth effect, to a level that signage in Korean can easily be seen at restaurant or massage facilities in the centre of the island city. The launch of the new route also aims to meet the increasing travel demand of this country's tourists to Vietnam's largest island, especially in winter.  According to experts, November is the right time to open new flights to Phu Quoc, because the island is entering its most beautiful season of the year. The Booking.com recently ranked the Pearl Island in the top five "most romantic" fall destinations in Vietnam thanks to the ideal mild weather in fall and winter.

These days, Phu Quoc hardly has rain. It’s sunny and cool while the sea is calm, which inspire Korean tourists to "escape" the cold in their country to find the sunshine at the Pearl Island and experience outdoor activities such as swimming, diving, coral watching, kayaking, and golf playing. 

Korean newspaper TTL also mentions Phu Quoc as a tourist destination that fꦰamilies, friends and couples can enjoy. Yonhap news agency suggests popular activities for Korean tourists like experiencing the resorts in the south of the island such as Premier Residences Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, Premier Village Phu Quoc, JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay, or admire the Mediterranean scenery in a tropical country at Sunset Town.

Affordability

Yong Sung Ok - Southeast Asia regional manager of the RoK's leading travel company Hanatour said: "Vietnam is the most searched and popular country for Korean tourists recently with close geographical distance, available flight routes and relatively cheap airfares for Korean tourists." It can be said that in addition to the natural scenery and many attractive experiences, one of the reasons why Korean tourists increasingly choose to travel to Phu Quoc is the reasonable cost.

Canadian travel magazine - The Travel - at the end of September also ranked Phu Quoc in the top 17 islands with the best travel costs in the world. According to The Travel, although accommodation prices in Phu Quoc may be a bit higher than mainland destinations, they are still much more reasonable than in other famous islands in the world. 

The magazine also calls Phu Quoc a "tropical paradise", attracting tourists with many experiences such as exploring the beautiful scenery of the beaches and street food. Some prominent places to visit are Hon Th🗹om, Bai Sao, and Safari Phu Quoc.

In addition, one thing that attracts Korean tourists is the island's open visa policy. Phu Quoc is currently considered the most attractive destination in Vietnam for international visitors thanks to a completely visa-free entry policy, with a temporary stay period of up to 30 days. According to data from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Vietnam has welcomed more than 2.27 million Korean tourists in the first eight months of 2023, about 16 times higher than that of the same period in 2022. Up to now, RoK is confirmed to be the largest market sending visitors to Vietnam./.