S.Korea exempts certain travelers from visa fee

S.Korea exempts certain travelers from visa fee

S.Korea exempts certain travelers from visa fee

Dao Loan

Le Thi Thu Trang, marketing director of Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam (KTO), introduces Korean tourism products and services on February 21 – PHOTO: DAO LOAN

HCMC – Staff members of companies listed on the website www.vnr500.com.vn or businesses with revenues of over US$5 million a year each will pay no fee when they apply for a tourist visa to join South Korea incentive tours.

Le Thi Thu Trang, marketing director of the Korea Tourism Organization in Vietnam (KTO), said employees of these companies will be exempt from a US$15 visa fee per person and that it would take three days to get a visa, instead of eight days as regulated.

However, these tourists will have to buy tours at 17 travel agencies in HCMC and Hanoi designated by Korean authorities.

Currently, Vietnamese tourists who are not staff of the 500 companies will pay a visa application fee of US$15 rather than the normal US$20 when they join Korea incentive tour programs.

Vietnamese tourists to Korea in incentive tour programs last year numbered 33,000, rising 200% compared to 2015, Trang told at an event held in HCMC on February 21 to introduce Korean tourism products and services.

Vietnam has emerged as a key source market for Korea as 251,000 Vietnamese traveled to the northeast Asian country last year, up 53% year-on-year, Trang said.

This year, Korea expects to attract more than 300,000 Vietnamese tourists, surging 22% versus 2016.

KTO this year will organize two large tourism and cultural festivals in Hanoi and HCMC in April and September respectively to promote high-end and promotional tours to Korea.

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