The emergence of the new route is expected to make airfares drop sharply, enhance trade exchanges, and boost tourism cooperation between Korean and Vietnamese firms.

The charter flights on the Hanoi-Seoul route will be launched on December 18 and will make use of narrow-body aircraft with round-trip airfare hovering at around VND4 million and VND5 million, 20% to 30% lower than the current average.

Florence Lam, director of Vantage Aviation Vietnam, emphasised that the new route between Hanoi and Seoul represents an important milestone in the partnership between the two airlines.

Both airlines are committed to providing Vietnamese passengers with both convenient and affordable flight experiences, while also creating the optimal conditions possible for them to further explore the beautiful culture and nature of the RoK, she added.

Furthermore, charter flights are anticipated to help enhance the overall competitiveness of the Vietnamese tourism industry, with more flexible product packages on offer for tourists, she noted.

Meanwhile, Lee Song Han, a representative of Aero-K Airlines, revealed that the carrier has operated three air routes between Vietnam and the RoK over one year, proving that Vietnam is a strategic market for the airline.

The new route will create further opportunities to promote tourism and economic cooperation that exists between the two countries, he said, noting that the carrier will act as a bridge to help Vietnamese tourists to fully experience Korean culture.

The Vietnamese tourism industry has recorded a strong recovery in international markets, especially the RoK.

During the 10-month period, about 3.7 million Korean tourists came to the country, up 28% against the same period last year.