South Korea breaks all-time tourism record, surpassing 18.94 million foreign visitors

The number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea this year has surpassed the all-time annual record in the shortest time ever. If the current trend holds, the government's year-end target of 23 million visitors is within reach.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Tuesday that inbound foreign tourists have exceeded 18.94 million — the previous all-time annual record, set in 2025 — with the milestone reached roughly two months earlier than last year.

An analysis of international tourism trends through September shows South Korea outpacing its regional peers. Japan and Thailand saw foreign visitor numbers fall 2.9 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively, from the same period last year, while Vietnam posted a 14.5 percent gain. South Korea grew 21.5 percent over the same period.

The visitor base also broadened across source markets and regions. Arrivals rose across nearly all markets — Chinese-speaking regions up 29.1 percent, Japan up 16.9 percent, Southeast Asia up 15.3 percent and Western countries up 15.1 percent. By country, China led with about 5.47 million visitors, up 29.2 percent, followed by Taiwan with about 1.86 million, up 32.4 percent.

Women accounted for 62.4 percent of visitors, up from 61.3 percent in the same period last year. Travelers in their 20s and 30s made up 49.8 percent, edging up from 49.4 percent a year earlier.

Regional tourism also expanded. The share of arrivals through airports and seaports outside the greater Seoul area reached 28.2 percent from January through September, up 1.7 percentage points from 26.5 percent in the same period last year. On a monthly cumulative basis, the regional arrival share rose consistently from 23.4 percent in January to 28.2 percent in September.

Foreign credit card spending reached 15.9 trillion won ($12 billion), up 47.7 percent from 10.8 trillion won in the same period last year — the highest since records began in 2018. By sector, shopping at department stores, hypermarkets and duty-free shops accounted for the largest share at 37.0 percent, followed by accommodation at 19.6 percent and medical and wellness services — including hospitals, pharmacies, cosmetics and makeup — at 16.6 percent.

If the growth pace continues, about 1.94 million visitors are expected in November alone, putting South Korea on track to cross the 20 million cumulative mark for the first time in history during the third week of November and to reach the government's year-end target of 23 million visitors.

The government credited the results to the global spread of K-culture, innovation by the tourism industry in meeting international demand, and the warm reception extended to foreign visitors by the Korean public. Despite headwinds including exchange rate volatility and high oil prices, it said cross-ministry cooperation — bolstered by elevating the National Tourism Strategy Council to a presidential body — along with expanded flight routes, eased visa requirements, improved transportation, a supplementary budget to address the war in the Middle East, and strengthened overseas marketing all contributed to the outcome.

The government plans to rally the combined resources of central and local governments and the private sector through the National Tourism Strategy Council to drive toward its national policy goal of 30 million foreign visitors and to prepare for an era of 40 million visitors as South Korea establishes itself as a major international tourism destination.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Choe Hwi-yeong said the all-time record had been broken roughly two months ahead of schedule, bringing the year-end target of 23 million visitors — set ambitiously at the start of the year — into realistic range. "Particularly encouraging is that both the share of regional arrivals and the number of regional visits are rising together," he said. He added that inbound tourism would set a new record every day going forward, and pledged to focus not only on quantitative expansion but also on qualitative improvement, so that South Korea can firmly establish itself as an "irreplaceable travel destination" in the global tourism market.