The number of foreign tourists visiting Korea this year surpassed 10 million before the first half ended. The milestone was reached about a month faster than last year, in what observers say reaffirms the strength of Korean tourism driven by K-pop and Korean content.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, cumulative inbound foreign tourist arrivals provisionally exceeded 10 million as of the third weekend of June. Last year, arrivals topped 10 million in mid-July, but this year the timing was moved up significantly.
Foreign tourists visiting Korea in May numbered 1.95 million, up 19.4% from the same period last year. Cumulative arrivals from January to May this year reached 8.72 million, up 21% year-on-year. With about 1.3 million more arriving in June alone, the country succeeded in reaching 10 million before the first half ended.
China and Japan Lead, Taiwan and Europe Surge as Tourism Market Recovers Clearly
By country, China and Japan continue to serve as the two pillars of Korea's tourism market. As of January to May this year, Chinese tourists exceeded 2.56 million, ranking first among all inbound visitors, followed by Japanese tourists, who topped 1.6 million.
Growth from Greater China was also notable. Over the same period, more than 920,000 visitors from Taiwan visited Korea, up 33% from a year earlier, while Hong Kong also recorded double-digit growth. In the long-haul markets of the Americas and Europe, more than 800,000 and 600,000 visitors entered respectively, continuing a stable recovery trend.
The recovery in the Japanese market is particularly notable. In March this year, when cherry blossom season and holiday demand overlapped, Japanese tourists exceeded 480,000, marking strong monthly performance. The industry attributes the increase in Japanese tourists to expanded flight services and the popularity of Korean Wave content.
End of the Seoul-Only Era? Regional Airport Arrivals Jump More Than 40%
Changes are also appearing in the travel routes of foreign tourists. Inbound demand once concentrated at metropolitan gateways such as Incheon Airport is now dispersing to regional areas.
From January to May this year, 1.565 million foreigners entered through regional airports, up 42% from the same period last year. This is a much steeper growth rate compared with the roughly 17% increase in passengers using metropolitan airports over the same period.
Looking at May alone, regional airport arrivals exceeded 360,000, up 32% from the same month last year. With entries through ports also rising sharply due to factors such as expanded cruise routes, analysts say tourist inflow routes are diversifying.
Foreigners Open Their Wallets, Too: Monthly Card Spending Tops 2 Trillion Won for First Time
Alongside the increase in tourists, the scale of spending also expanded to a record high. Foreigners' domestic credit card spending (including online spending) continued to rise every month this year, surpassing 2 trillion won for the first time in May.
Foreign card spending steadily increased from 1.1306 trillion won in January to 1.7115 trillion won in March and 1.9924 trillion won in April, before reaching 2.1222 trillion won in May. It was the first time monthly card spending exceeded 2 trillion won since the relevant statistics began being compiled in 2018.
Cumulative card spending from January to May this year reached 7.9845 trillion won, up 47.3% from the same period last year. With spending growth outpacing the rate of growth in arrivals, observers say the economic ripple effects of foreign tourism are also expanding.
"Despite the rise in fuel surcharges from the impact of the Middle East situation, the total number of inbound foreign visitors through May increased 21% from a year earlier, and in mid-June it topped 10 million, showing a solid growth trend in inbound tourism," said Kang Jeong-won, head of the Tourism Policy Office at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. "We will expand cooperation with the private sector, including K-pop artists and exporting companies, to promote the appeal of Korean tourism to even more foreigners."
