Vietnam remains most popular choice in Southeast Asia for S Korean travelers: report

Budget flights offered by low-cost carriers in South Korea have made Vietnam the number one choice for South Korean tourists in Southeast Asia this year, according to official figures.

The Korea Tourism Organization said 1.71 million South Koreans visited Vietnam between January and November, up 36.4 percent from a year earlier, Yonhap reported.

Vietnam surpassed its neighbors to become the most popular country for South Koreans in the region last year when it drew 1.54 million visitors, compared with 1.48 million who visited the Philippines and 1.46 million to Thailand, the report said.

South Korean budget carriers have been expanding services to Southeast Asia, transporting nearly 20 percent of passengers traveling abroad in 2016, it said.

Concerns about crime have made the Philippines less popular, it said.

South Koreans can now visit Vietnam for 15 days without having to apply for a visa. They are the second biggest group of visitors to Vietnam, after Chinese travelers.

South Korea is also the biggest foreign investor in Vietnam, with electronics giant Samsung leading Vietnamese exports.