
AI-generated summary
The number of travel complaints increased sharply after the Covid pandemic: from 288 cases in 2022 to 902 in 2023, 1,543 in 2024 and 1,744 in 2025. Before the pandemic, South Korea had recorded more than 1,000 complaints per year for two consecutive years.
South Korea recorded 1,753 travel complaints in 7 months, exceeding 2025, mainly related to accommodation, shopping and taxis.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), data from Korea Tourism Data Lab shows that from January to July, the country recorded 1,753 complaints, 9 cases higher than the total of 1,744 cases in the whole of 2025.
Complaints are received through the website of the Travel Complaint Center and the Korea Travel Hotline 1330, the main support channel for foreign tourists who have difficulty using Korean.
The number of complaints increased sharply after the Covid pandemic. From 288 cases in 2022, this number increases to 902 in 2023, 1,543 in 2024 and 1,744 in 2025. Before the pandemic, South Korea recorded more than 1,000 complaints per year for two consecutive years, with 1,263 cases in 2018 and 1,165 in 2019.
Seoul leads the number of reports, followed by Busan, Incheon and Jeju. Busan alone recorded the strongest increase, nearly 2.5 times higher than the same period last year, coinciding with the time when the city welcomed a large number of visitors to BTS's concert in June.
Accommodation is the group that receives the most feedback, mainly due to businesses unilaterally canceling reservations or imposing high fines. Next comes shopping, with disputes over price and service attitude. Airport and aviation services also recorded many complaints; Taxi ranks next, mainly related to refusing to turn on the meter and unsafe driving. The hotel received complaints about room cancellations, service quality and hygiene.
By nationality, mainland Chinese tourists filed the most complaints, followed by Koreans, Japanese, Taiwanese and Hong Kongers.
The number of reports is increasing in the context of a strong recovery in the Korean tourism industry - in the first half of 2026, the number of international visitors to this country exceeded 10 million for the first time. The difference between spending by international visitors in Korea and spending by Koreans abroad has also recorded a continuous surplus since March 2026 - the first time after many years of deficit.

Bich Dam, a coastal village in Hon Tre island cluster, Vinh Nguyen ward, Khanh Hoa province, with more than 200 households mainly engaged in fishing and freelance work, was approved by the People's Committee of Nha Trang City in early March 2025 to become a green, sustainable community tourism destination. Visitors can arrive by Gouf boat from Phu Quy wharf with a fare of 45,000 VND/person, travel time of about 1.5 hours, or rent a private canoe for 10 times the cost. There are no comfortable hotels on the island, but there is a homestay model for about 100,000 VND/person/night. Attractions include the village communal house with a 21m high eagle tree (heritage tree riconosciuted in June 2024), Egg Beach with a round stone like an egg, Hon Lon lighthouse (built in 1890, 102m high, 16m light tower, 26 nautical mile beam range), Bich Son pagoda, Gieng Mon mountain and cycling activities around the island. The swimming pool is mainly stone and gravel shores, with no fine sand. Dining includes fresh seafood from Khanh Hoa waters, typical dishes such as seafood banh can and fish cake soup, often ordered in advance at the homestay for about 300,000 VND/meal for 2 adults and 2 children.

After a flight from Los Angeles to Tampa was diverted to Fort Myers due to a storm, a group of passengers including Randi Hipper, 23, were asked to get off the plane to get their luggage but were stuck outside the airport when security closed, unable to get back on the plane.

In the limestone valley of Tan Hoa, people have converted the traditional profession of making green rice from household use to commercial products, thanks to the technique of roasting rice with charcoal and sun drying, creating a product with high economic value and honored by UNESCO as the World's Best Tourist Village in October 2023.

The best cloud hunting season in the North is from late September to early April of the following year, but success depends on weather such as humidity, temperature difference and rainfall, not just location. Visitors should monitor the area's weather forecast, arrive early before sunrise and note that the best cloud time only lasts for a short time.

Time Out magazine published a list of the 20 cities with the best nightlife in the world based on local surveys. Bangkok leads the list, along with other Asian representatives such as Beijing, Hong Kong, Hanoi and Seoul.

Thailand is expected to welcome about 600,000 Vietnamese visitors this year thanks to expanding destinations, increasing flight routes, raising accommodation standards and developing tourism products according to specific needs, with the 'New Thailand' strategy focusing on high-quality customers and higher spending.