Phu Quoc emerges as new trending destination among South Koreans

Despite a shorter Lunar New Year holidays from Feb. 9-12, major Korean travel companies such as Hana Tour, Very Good Travel and Kyowon Tour Travel Easy on Jan. 17 reported a remarkable annual surge in tour bookings, averaging around 50%.

Hana Tour revealed a 48% increase in overseas travel bookings during the holidays, demonstrating the highest growth in Southeast Asia at 57%, followed by Japan at 25%, Europe 6%, South Pacific 6%, and China 5%.

This underscores a discernible customer preference for destinations with shorter distances.

Breaking down the data by region, the demand for travel to Vietnam and Japan collectively constituted over half of the bookings, with 27% heading to Vietnam and 25% to Japan.

Analyzing holiday booking data, Kyowon Tour Travel Easy identified Japan as having the highest proportion of reservations, accounting for 20.8% of the total. Vietnam secured the second position with a share of 11.7%.

Very Good Travel anticipated a booking growth of more than 10%. Among all international travel bookings, Southeast Asia took the lead with the highest share at 37.2%, followed by Japan at 29.1%, Europe 11.2%, Oceania 8.1%, and China 6.4%.

According to its data, newly emerging tourist destinations gaining popularity among travelers include Siem Reap in Cambodia, Phu Quoc in Vietnam, Taichung in Taiwan, and Matsuyama in Japan.

Renowned for its long beaches with gleaming white sand nestled beside inviting turquoise waters, Phu Quoc island received accolades from the American travel magazine Condé Nast Traveler as one of the world’s top islands in 2023, marking its second consecutive year on the prestigious list.

Phu Quoc offers a kaleidoscope of cultural-historical experiences and a range of accommodations, from affordable housing to luxurious resorts.