Đà Lạt and the surrounding province of Lâm Đồng are making a clear play for South Korean visitors and money. On October 8, local authorities and businesses hosted a trade, investment and tourism networking conference in Xuân Hương – Đà Lạt ward, run jointly with the Vietnam–Korea Business and Investment Association, to pitch the central highlands province to a visiting Korean delegation.
The pitch wasn't subtle about its targets. Provincial vice chairman Nguyễn Ngọc Phúc said Lâm Đồng's 2026–2030 priorities include high-quality tourism, agriculture, green energy, healthcare and education — sectors where Korean companies are strong — and promised transparent information and support for Korean investors doing research and surveys in the province.
Korean interest is already well established. The Republic of Korea has been Lâm Đồng's largest source of international tourists in recent years, and Đà Lạt in particular has become a favourite with Korean holidaymakers. Gyeonggi Provincial Council member Kim Woon Nam, who attended the event, called the city an attractive destination for Korean visitors and flagged local specialities — coffee, vegetables, flowers — as products with real potential in the Korean market. He also suggested deeper links between Gyeonggi and Lâm Đồng, from government exchanges to university and business partnerships.
Concrete steps followed the talk. The provincial Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Centre and the Vietnam–Korea Business and Investment Association signed a memorandum of understanding covering tourism and investment promotion, cooperation in production, expanding markets for agricultural goods — and, notably for travellers, opening new air routes.
Trade is modest but growing. In the first nine months of 2026, Lâm Đồng exported US$56.15 million worth of goods to South Korea, about 1.7% of the province's total exports, led by alumina, coffee, vegetables, fresh flowers, fishery products and garments.
For travellers, the practical takeaway is that Đà Lạt's Korean-friendly infrastructure looks set to grow. The province is leaning into products that already suit Korean visitors — farm and agricultural tourism, wellness retreats and high-end resorts — and direct air links could make the highlands far easier to reach from Seoul and beyond. If Korea is Đà Lạt's biggest inbound market, expect more Korean restaurants, signage and tailored services around town, alongside the pine hills, flower farms and cool climate that draw everyone else.
