Vietnam tourism surge worries Thailand

A representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) in Seoul said that in the next five years, Vietnam will be the country's main competitor in the race to attract tourists.

According to Bangkokpost, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) is concerned that Vietnam, a country considered a rising star in the ASEAN region, will attract more Korean tourists than Thailand. Therefore, the country is looking for ways to attract tourists' attention.

Among the measures the country uses to attract visitors, specifically those from South Korea, are attractive travel prices, good infrastructure, and addressing threats that make tourists hesitant.

In 2015, the number of Korean visitors to Thailand increased by 22%, reaching 1.37 million people, while Vietnam welcomed more than 1.1 million Korean visitors, an increase of 31%. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, in the first 5 months of 2016, the number of Korean visitors reached 631,263, an increase of 31% over the same period last year.

"Vietnam will be Thailand's main competitor in the Korean tourist market in the next five years. Their tourism infrastructure is developing rapidly, their tourism products are new and their travel safety is well guaranteed," said Siriges-a-nong Trirattanasongpol, head of the TAT office in Seoul, South Korea.

In addition, Vietnam is becoming a popular destination for tourists because of the many new things, especially resorts near the beach. Meanwhile, many areas that are the main beaches of Thailand have deteriorated.

According to VNE