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.

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

Korea Tourism Organization provides monthly Tourism Revenue in USD.

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.

In 2023, the travel and tourism market in South Korea posted a revenue of around **** trillion South Korean won. This represents an increase from the previous year as the industry is recovering from the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The biggest increases were in the travel agency and travel assistance services sectors.

Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: Comm: Thailand data was reported at 3.800 USD in 2018. Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: Comm: Thailand data is updated yearly, averaging 3.800 USD from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: Comm: Thailand data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.Q009: Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita: By Country and Tour Type.

South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: Data Communication data was reported at 3.600 USD in Dec 2018. This records a decrease from the previous number of 5.000 USD for Nov 2018. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: Data Communication data is updated monthly, averaging 4.950 USD from Jan 2018 (Median) to Dec 2018, with 12 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 8.300 USD in Feb 2018 and a record low of 1.600 USD in Jul 2018. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: Data Communication data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.Q009: Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita: By Country and Tour Type.

The total contribution of travel and tourism to South Korea’s GDP amounted to around 81 trillion South Korean won in 2017. This number includes direct, indirect, as well as induced contributions. The value decreased in 2017 due to the decrease in visitor arrivals that year.

Importance of tourists from Mainland China

After a peak in 2016, the number of visitors from Mainland China to South Korea plunged the following year, due to political tension between the two countries. The tensions led to Beijing ordering travel companies to stop selling group tours to South Korea. Since Chinese tourists made up for almost half of all visitor arrivals to South Korea, this had a notable impact on the otherwise steadily growing tourism industry. The number of visitors from Mainland China started to grow again in 2018.

Hallyu boosts the industry

Hallyu, also known as the “Korean wave” is a common term referring to the South Korean popular culture, including music, TV shows, and movies. With South Korean popular culture gaining popularity around the globe, the number of visitors to the countries grows as well. For example, after the TV drama Winter Sonata gained popularity overseas in 2002, the number of foreign visitors to its rural filming location Nami Island started to grow. The drama is widely considered to be the start of Hallyu throughout worldwide. Another example is the Korean pop boy band BTS, which is currently considered as the biggest boy band in the world. In 2018, the Seoul Metropolitan Government gave credit to the band for boosting the tourism industry.

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

CEIC calculates Tourism Revenue Growth from monthly Tourism Revenue. Korea Tourism Organization provides Tourism Revenue in USD.

The international tourism receipts in South Korea were forecast to continuously increase between 2024 and 2029 by in total 2.7 trillion U.S. dollars (+13.11 percent). According to this forecast, in 2029, the tourism receipts will have increased for the ninth consecutive year to 23.1 trillion U.S. dollars. Receipts denote expenditures by inbound tourists from other countries. Domestic tourism expenditures are not included. The forecast has been adjusted for the expected impact of COVID-19. The shown data are an excerpt of Statista's Key Market Indicators (KMI). The KMI are a collection of primary and secondary indicators on the macro-economic, demographic and technological environment in more than 150 countries and regions worldwide. All input data are sourced from international institutions, national statistical offices, and trade associations. All data has been are processed to generate comparable datasets (see supplementary notes under details for more information).Find more key insights for the international tourism receipts in countries like China and Japan.

In 2023, South Korea's tourism balance was estimated to have fallen further to a deficit of almost ** billion U.S. dollars. 2017 saw the lowest tourism deficit on record, at about **** billion dollars.

In 2023, the total tourism receipts in South Korea were estimated to amount to around 15.1 billion U.S. dollars. This represents an increase from the previous year. That year, approximately 22.7 million South Koreans travelled internationally, a sharp increase from the previous three years. Tourism numbers were nearing pre-pandemic numbers.

Korea Tourism Revenue: Annual data was reported at 13,323,700.000 USD th in 2017. This records a decrease from the previous number of 17,087,600.000 USD th for 2016. Korea Tourism Revenue: Annual data is updated yearly, averaging 3,271,524.000 USD th from Dec 1961 (Median) to 2017, with 57 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 17,711,800.000 USD th in 2014 and a record low of 1,353.000 USD th in 1961. Korea Tourism Revenue: Annual data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.Q008: Tourism Revenue & Expenditures of Korean Overseas Travelers.

In the first quarter of 2020, it was expected that South Korea would see a loss of around 2.9 trillion South Korean won in tourism revenue if the novel coronavirus spreads rapidly in the country. In addition, the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea was expected to decrease by two million. As of April 19, 2020, South Korea confirmed 10,661 cases of infection.

Korea Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita (AEPC) data was reported at 1,625.300 USD in 2016. This records a decrease from the previous number of 1,712.500 USD for 2015. Korea Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita (AEPC) data is updated yearly, averaging 1,275.000 USD from Dec 2000 (Median) to 2016, with 17 observations. The data reached an all-time high of 1,712.500 USD in 2015 and a record low of 1,194.000 USD in 2006. Korea Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita (AEPC) data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s Korea – Table KR.Q009: Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita: By Country and Tour Type.

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.

International tourism, receipts (current US$) in South Korea was reported at 11776000000 USD in 2020, according to the World Bank collection of development indicators, compiled from officially recognized sources. South Korea - International tourism, receipts - actual values, historical data, forecasts and projections were sourced from the World Bank on July of 2025.

[342 Pages Report] The South Korea sports tourism market is estimated to reach US$ 7,152 million in 2022. As per the report, demand for sports tourism in South Korea is forecast to increase at a robust 6.5% CAGR during the forecast period. Total revenue share in the South Korean sports tourism market share represents 10-12% of the global sports tourism market.

Attribute	Details
South Korea Sports Tourism Market Estimated Size (2022)	US$ 7,152 Million
South Korea Sports Tourism Market Value-based CAGR (2022-2032)	6.5%
South Korea Sports Tourism Market Top Players Share in 2021	12%-16%

Scope of Report

Attribute	Details
Forecast Period	2022-2032
Historical Data Available for	2016-2021
Market Analysis	US$ Million for Value
Key Region Covered	EA (East Asia)
Key Countries Covered	South Korea
Key Segments Covered	Sports Type, Sports Tourism Type, Consumer Orientation, Booking Channel, Tourist Type, Tour Type, Age Group, and Region.
Key Companies Profiled	MyRealTrip Tripstore Creatrip TNDN Tripbtoz OnlineTour Discover Seoul Travel PASS Incheon Tourism Organization Halalroad JEJU TOURISM ORGANIZATION Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Super Bike Tour Seoul Danyang Paragliding Others
Report Coverage	Market Forecast, Company Share Analysis, Competition Intelligence, DROT Analysis, Market Dynamics and Challenges, and Strategic Growth Initiatives

South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: China data was reported at 2.500 USD in 2018. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: China data is updated yearly, averaging 2.500 USD from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: China data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.Q009: Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita: By Country and Tour Type.

South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: Taiwan data was reported at 1.200 USD in 2018. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: Taiwan data is updated yearly, averaging 1.200 USD from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: Taiwan data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.Q009: Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita: By Country and Tour Type.

South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: Singapore data was reported at 0.000 USD in 2018. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: Singapore data is updated yearly, averaging 0.000 USD from Dec 2018 (Median) to 2018, with 1 observations. South Korea Tourism Revenue: AEPC: Grp: EC: Singapore data remains active status in CEIC and is reported by Korea National Tourism Organization. The data is categorized under Global Database’s South Korea – Table KR.Q009: Tourism Revenue: Average Expenditure Per Capita: By Country and Tour Type.