Gyeongsangbuk opens second tourism information centre in Vietnam

The southern province of Gyeongsangbuk, the Republic of Korea opened a tourism information centre in Hanoi

This is the second tourism information centre of Gyeongsangbuk in Vietnam, after the first one established in 2017 in Ho Chi Minh City.

“Vietnam is an important market with huge growth potential. We hope that together with the Korean Tourism Organization in Vietnam, the centre can introduce destinations in Gyeongsangbuk, a locality considered the real South Korea with its typical weather and culture,” Kim Seong Jo, president of Gyeongsangbuk Culture & Tourism Organization, told VIR.

According to Kim, most UNESCO World Cultural Heritage sites in South Korea are in Gyeongsangbuk. “This is also the place where descendants of Ly Thai To, a Vietnamese King who founded the Ly Dynasty, live and built a famous temple,” said Kim.

Kim also expressed hope that through the centre and suitable marketing activities, Gyeongsangbuk can appeal to Vietnamese tourists,drawing them in with its rich cultural offerings.

In the first six months of 2019, the number of Vietnamese tourists to Gyeongsangbuk reached 10,000 people, accounting for about 3.7 per cent of the 275,000 Vietnamese tourists arriving to South Korea. “We aim to welcome 20,000 Vietnamese tourists this year,” Kim affirmed.

Taking Vietnamese tourists to Gyeongsangbuk over the last few years, Vietravel has received positive feedback from their customers about destinations in Gyeongsangbuk. “They like the atmosphere and the scenery. From east to west, north to south, there are a lot of interesting things for them to discover, including culture, landscapes, and history,” Luu Thuy Dung, vice head of Outbound Department at Vietravel, told VIR.

Cheomseongdae astronomical observatory - a famous sight in Gyeongsangbuk

Sharing the same view with Luu, Pham Tien Dung, director of Golden Tour, said that Gyeongsangbuk is an ideal destination for different customers from individuals to groups or even MICE delegations.

“Gyeongsangbuk has diverse terrain, with rivers, mountains, and sea, with seven UNESCO heritage sites, including the capital of Confucianism. Gyeongsangbuk can answer different demands and satisfy both young and old tourists,” he said.

According to Pham, travelling from Hanoi to Gyeongsangbuk is also very easy. Tourists can take direct a flight from Hanoi to Deagu, the fourth-largest city in South Korea which is located in Gyeongsangbuk or to Busan which is about an hour car-ride to Gyeongsangbuk. “Gyeongsangbuk is a very interesting place to visit, along with Deagu, Busan or Seoul,” Pham affirmed.