According to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) at the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 in Cebu, the Philippines, Korean tourist arrivals to ASEAN have recorded remarkable growth in recent years, increasing from nearly 2.5 million visitors in 2022 to 9.8 million in 2024. In the first nine months of 2025, ASEAN is estimated to have welcomed approximately 6.1 million Korean visitors, underscoring a solid recovery trajectory and the strong rebound of outbound travel demand from the Korean market.

Within this overall recovery, Viet Nam stands out as the region’s most prominent destination. In 2023, Viet Nam welcomed 3.6 million Korean visitors, accounting for nearly 47% of total Korean arrivals to ASEAN. This figure rose to 4.6 million visitors in 2024, out of a regional total of 9.8 million. Notably, in just the first nine months of 2025, Viet Nam received 3.2 million Korean visitors, representing nearly 53% of all Korean arrivals to ASEAN during the same period.

These figures clearly demonstrate that Viet Nam is not only a key market but also the top choice for Korean travelers in Southeast Asia, significantly outperforming other competing destinations in the region.

Fig: Visitors from Korea to ASEAN and to Viet Nam (million arrivals)

Source: Complite data from Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and National Statistic Office (NSO)

Long-term structural competitive advantages

Viet Nam’s leading position in the Korean tourism market reflects a set of structural and long-term competitive advantages. Geographic proximity and extensive air connectivity are among the most decisive factors. Short flight times, together with a dense network of direct routes linking major Korean cities such as Seoul and Busan with Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, make Viet Nam particularly well suited to the short-haul, flexible travel patterns favored by Korean tourists.

At the same time, Viet Nam’s tourism infrastructure - including accommodation, transport, dining, shopping, and entertainment - has continued to expand and improve in quality, catering to a wide range of market segments, from families and young travelers to senior tourists and business visitors. Viet Nam also offers a portfolio of tourism products that closely aligns with Korean market preferences, notably beach and resort tourism, golf tourism, wellness tourism, MICE, and the increasingly popular business-leisure (bleisure) travel segment.

Destinations such as Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc have become not only familiar choices but also “default destinations” for Korean travelers, enjoying strong visibility and influence across media platforms and social networks.

Safety, stability, and emotional affinity

In a global context marked by geopolitical uncertainties and security concerns, Viet Nam’s stable political and social environment, along with its high levels of safety and security, continues to be a significant competitive advantage compared with many other destinations in the region and worldwide.

In addition, cultural proximity, adaptable cuisine, the friendliness of local communities, and a service ecosystem increasingly attuned to Korean visitors have contributed to enhanced travel experiences and high satisfaction levels. Positive spillover effects from KOLs, social media, and the growing Korean community living and working in Viet Nam, combined with more facilitative visa policies and well-structured market promotion activities, have further strengthened Viet Nam’s sustained appeal.

It can therefore be affirmed that Korean tourists choose Viet Nam not only for convenience and competitive costs, but also for its comprehensive alignment in terms of experience quality, safety, emotional connection, and cultural familiarity. This solid foundation is expected to support the continued stable, sustainable, and higher-value growth of the Korean market, contributing meaningfully to Viet Nam’s tourism development objectives in the coming period.

Tourism Information Technology Center