In 2024, South Korea welcomed approximately **** million inbound visitors. Visitor arrivals in South Korea have shown an overall growth since year 2000. However, due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in 2020 the number of visitors to South Korea initially fell by more than ** percent, before falling by a further ** percent in 2021. 2022 was the first year to experience positive growth in visitor arrivals since the beginning of the pandemic. What draws tourists to South Korea?The most common reason for tourists to travel to South Korea in 2023 was the food and shopping opportunities. A 2023 worldwide survey found that ** percent of respondents considered Korean food to be very popular in their countries, with exports increasing in recent years. Korean fried chicken was the most popular Korean food abroad, even before Kimchi and ramen.”Hallyu” as a reason for the popularity"Hallyu," also known as the “Korean wave,” describes the South Korean popular culture, including music, TV shows, and movies, and is one of the main reasons for the worldwide rise of the popularity of South Korea as a travel destination. As K-pop as well as K-beauty products, are getting more recognition globally, the number of visitors grows. In 2018, the K-Pop boy group BTS was given credit by the Seoul Metropolitan Government for boosting the tourism industry. BTS is currently considered one of the biggest musical acts in the world.

Korea International Tourism: Number of Departures data was reported at 22,383,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 19,310,000.000 Person for 2015. Korea International Tourism: Number of Departures data is updated yearly, averaging 9,787,000.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22,383,000.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 3,067,000.000 Person in 1998. Korea International Tourism: Number of Departures data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International outbound tourists are the number of departures that people make from their country of usual residence to any other country for any purpose other than a remunerated activity in the country visited. The data on outbound tourists refer to the number of departures, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips from a country during a given period is counted each time as a new departure.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

In 2024, the leading tourist attractions in Seoul, South Korea, recorded an average of around **** million visitors. The Gyeongbokgung Palace was the most visited tourist attraction in Seoul that year, with about *** million visitors in total.

Tourist Arrivals in South Korea decreased to 1629387 in May from 1707113 in April of 2025. This dataset provides - South Korea Tourist Arrivals - actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

Korea International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data was reported at 17,242,000.000 Person in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 13,232,000.000 Person for 2015. Korea International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data is updated yearly, averaging 6,089,000.000 Person from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17,242,000.000 Person in 2016 and a record low of 3,684,000.000 Person in 1996. Korea International Tourism: Number of Arrivals data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International inbound tourists (overnight visitors) are the number of tourists who travel to a country other than that in which they have their usual residence, but outside their usual environment, for a period not exceeding 12 months and whose main purpose in visiting is other than an activity remunerated from within the country visited. When data on number of tourists are not available, the number of visitors, which includes tourists, same-day visitors, cruise passengers, and crew members, is shown instead. Sources and collection methods for arrivals differ across countries. In some cases data are from border statistics (police, immigration, and the like) and supplemented by border surveys. In other cases data are from tourism accommodation establishments. For some countries number of arrivals is limited to arrivals by air and for others to arrivals staying in hotels. Some countries include arrivals of nationals residing abroad while others do not. Caution should thus be used in comparing arrivals across countries. The data on inbound tourists refer to the number of arrivals, not to the number of people traveling. Thus a person who makes several trips to a country during a given period is counted each time as a new arrival.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

In 2024, the total tourism receipts in South Korea stood at around ***** billion U.S. dollars. This represents an increase from the previous year. That year, approximately **** million South Koreans travelled internationally, a sharp increase from the previous three years. Tourism numbers were nearing pre-pandemic numbers.

Key information about South Korea Visitor Arrivals

• South Korea Visitor Arrivals recorded 1,268,262 person in Jan 2025, compared with 1,268,262 person in the previous month
• South Korea Visitor Arrivals data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1975 to Jan 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 1,681,516 person in Jul 2016 and a record low of 28,714 person in Apr 2020

South Korea: Tourist arrivals: The latest value from 2020 is 2519 thousand tourists, a decline from 17503 thousand tourists in 2019. In comparison, the world average is 4935 thousand tourists, based on data from 123 countries. Historically, the average for South Korea from 1995 to 2020 is 8280 thousand tourists. The minimum value, 2519 thousand tourists, was reached in 2020 while the maximum of 17503 thousand tourists was recorded in 2019.

According to a survey conducted among international visitors to South Korea throughout 2024, visitors spent an average of ******* U.S. dollars during their trip per person. The highest average amount was spent on shopping trips, at ***** dollars per person. Other high costs included accommodation, flights to South Korea, and eating out. Travel expensesIn 2019, the total tourism receipts were estimated to have reached a record amount of around **** billion dollars. This plummeted during the COVID-19 pandemic, and has since recovered to an estimated **** billion dollars in 2023. Due to costs associated with quarantine measures and the general increase in living costs, per capita expenditure skyrocketed during the pandemic. While it has since returned to levels closer to pre-pandemic figures. Tourism industrySouth Korea reached an all time high of **** million visitors in 2019. As the tourism industry being one of the most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers shrank drastically. With about **** million international visitors in 2024, the industry is well on its way to recovery. 2020 had seen a roughly ** percent decrease in overseas arrivals compared to the previous year, while 2023 recorded a *** percent increase on the heels of a *** percent increase in 2022.

Korea International Tourism: Receipts data was reported at 21.053 USD bn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 19.055 USD bn for 2015. Korea International Tourism: Receipts data is updated yearly, averaging 8.486 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 22.704 USD bn in 2014 and a record low of 6.317 USD bn in 1997. Korea International Tourism: Receipts data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts are expenditures by international inbound visitors, including payments to national carriers for international transport. These receipts include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except when these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include receipts for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Tourism Revenues in South Korea decreased to 1685.90 USD Million in May from 1847.70 USD Million in April of 2025. This dataset provides - South Korea Tourism Revenues- actual values, historical data, forecast, chart, statistics, economic calendar and news.

In 2024, October was the most popular month to visit South Korea, with around *** million incoming visitors in that month. Overall there were about **** million inbound tourists in total that year. Due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in 2020, the overall number of inbound visitors dropped sharply, as there were travel limitations and risks worldwide. The industry has been recovering ever since.

Korea International Tourism: Expenditures data was reported at 29.143 USD bn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 27.957 USD bn for 2015. Korea International Tourism: Expenditures data is updated yearly, averaging 16.640 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 29.143 USD bn in 2016 and a record low of 4.027 USD bn in 1998. Korea International Tourism: Expenditures data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism expenditures are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries, including payments to foreign carriers for international transport. These expenditures may include those by residents traveling abroad as same-day visitors, except in cases where these are important enough to justify separate classification. For some countries they do not include expenditures for passenger transport items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

International tourism, receipts for travel items (current US$) in South Korea was reported at 10528000000 USD in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - International tourism, receipts for travel items - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

Korea International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data was reported at 17.210 USD bn in 2016. This records an increase from the previous number of 15.214 USD bn for 2015. Korea International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data is updated yearly, averaging 6.838 USD bn from Dec 1995 (Median) to 2016, with 22 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17.836 USD bn in 2014 and a record low of 4.731 USD bn in 1997. Korea International Tourism: Receipts: for Travel Items data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by World Bank. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.World Bank.WDI: Tourism Statistics. International tourism receipts for travel items are expenditures by international inbound visitors in the reporting economy. The goods and services are purchased by, or on behalf of, the traveler or provided, without a quid pro quo, for the traveler to use or give away. These receipts should include any other prepayment made for goods or services received in the destination country. They also may include receipts from same-day visitors, except in cases where these are so important as to justify a separate classification. Excluded is the international carriage of travelers, which is covered in passenger travel items. Data are in current U.S. dollars.; ; World Tourism Organization, Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files.; Gap-filled total;

Key information about South Korea Tourism Revenue

• South Korea's Tourism Revenue reached 1 USD bn in Jan 2025, compared with 2 USD bn in the previous month
• South Korea's Tourism Revenue data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1975 to Jan 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 2,062 USD mn in Mar 2019 and a record low of 10 USD mn in Jan 1975

This is information on the number of visitors by metropolitan and basic local governments based on mobile communication data from KT Corporation (domestic) and SK Telecom Corporation (foreigners). A 'visitor' is a person who stays in one place for a certain period of time for the purpose of tourism, etc., outside of daily life areas such as residence, work, and school. However, due to limitations in the nature of the data that the exact purpose of visit cannot be known, it is not defined in the same way as a 'tourist'. In addition, the number of visitors is the number of unique visitors per day. If a specific visitor visits one area for 2 nights and 3 days, it is counted as 3 people. Since basic local governments and metropolitan local governments have separate counting standards, arbitrary data combination is not possible. For more detailed data interpretation precautions, please refer to the data description of the Korea Tourism Data Lab (https://datalab.visitkorea.or.kr).

Key information about South Korea Visitor Arrivals

• South Korea Visitor Arrivals grew 44.4 % in Jan 2025, compared with an increase of 22.7 % in the previous month
• South Korea Visitor Arrivals Growth rate data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1976 to Jan 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 732.5 % in Mar 2023 and a record low of -98.2 % in Apr 2020

• In the latest reports, South Korea Visitor Arrivals recorded 1,268,262.0 person in the month of Jan 2025
• Tourism Revenue of South Korea reached 1.6 USD bn in Dec 2024, an increase of 10.2 % change from the previous month

In 2024, the leading tourist attractions in Seoul, South Korea, recorded an average of around *** million visitors, making it the province with the most visited tourist spots. This was followed by Busan and Daejeon. Five provinces were above the national average of approximately ******* visitors.

Key information about South Korea Tourism Revenue Growth

• South Korea Tourism Revenue dropped 8.5 % YoY in Jan 2025, compared with an increase of 22.5 % YoY in the previous month
• South Korea Tourism Revenue Growth rate data is updated monthly, available from Jan 1976 to Jan 2025
• The data reached an all-time high of 173.5 % in Dec 1980 and a record low of -73.4 % in Apr 2020