A group of South Korean actors, singers and artists from the band TWICE, JYP Entertainment, and the nationwide cable TV network and broadcasting company JTBC are making a video about the central province of Thua Thien Hue. 

One scene in the video clip. Photo: Vietnamhuetourism.vn.

The filming has been organized by the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in cooperation with the Hanatour Service Corporation, one of the largest South Korean travel companies, to introduce the beauty and cultural heritage of Thua Thien Hue to the South Korean public.

The video is being filmed at the UNESCO World Heritage’s the Hue Citadel, the Khai Dinh Tomb, the Huong River, with its charming natural scenery, and at exhibitions of ao dai (Vietnam’s traditional dress). The crew also filmed neighboring Da Nang and Quang Nam province. The video is an opportunity for the local tourism sector to promote tourism in the central region to attract more international tourists, especially South Koreans.

South Korea topped the list of foreign visitors to Thua Thien Hue in the first half of this year, with over 97,000, accounting for 26 per cent of the total of 414,500, which was up 6.76 per cent year-on-year. 

Acknowledging the increasing number of South Korean visitors, local investors and enterprises are paying greater attention to upgrading My An and Thanh Tan hot springs, which is a popular spot among South Korean and Japanese tourists. The department also has plans to invite South Korean experts to help local businesses select tourism products that are attractive to visitors from the country. 

Tourism authorities have targeted South Korea recently, attending the 32nd Korea World Travel Fair (KOTFA) in Seoul in June to introduce sea, eco, cultural, and city tours and arts. The number of South Korean arrivals are expected to grow 40 per cent this year, or by 2 million people. Potential comes from growing bilateral ties, more air routes, and Vietnam’s visa waiver policy for South Korean nationals, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.

Vietnam welcomed 6.2 million foreign visitors in the first half of 2017, up 30.2 per cent year-on-year. More than 1 million were from South Korea, up 43.9 per cent.

VN Economic Times