South Korea Welcomes Over 10 Million Foreign Visitors This Year
Auf einen Blick
- South Korea has surpassed 10 million foreign visitors in the first half of the year, a record achieved about a month earlier than last year.
- May saw 1.95 million visitors, with Chinese tourists leading, and regional airport entries also increased.
- Monthly spending by foreign visitors exceeded 2 trillion won for the first time.
KI-generierte Zusammenfassung
Warum es wichtig ist
South Korea has seen a significant rebound in inbound tourism, with foreign arrivals exceeding 10 million by mid-June, a record achieved earlier than in previous years. This growth is accompanied by increased spending and a wider distribution of visitors across the country.
By Shim Sun-ah
SEOUL, June 24 (Yonhap) -- South Korea has welcomed more than 10 million foreign visitors so far this year, a provisional tally by the tourism ministry showed Wednesday, suggesting the country may be headed for a new annual high.
Foreign arrivals exceeded 10 million during the third weekend of this month, about a month earlier than last year, when the mark was reached in mid-July, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. It is the first time the figure has been achieved within the first half of any year.
Inbound travel has rebounded strongly, with 1.95 million visitors recorded in May alone, up 19.4 percent from a year earlier.
Chinese tourists made up the largest share in May at 560,000, followed by Japanese at 360,000 and Americans at 210,000. Travelers from Taiwan reached 190,000.
Officials also pointed to a growing spread of visitors beyond the capital region. Entries through regional airports rose steadily from 230,000 in January to 360,000 in May.
Foreign visitors' card spending in May, including online purchases, totaled 2.12 trillion won (US$1.38 billion), the first time monthly spending has exceeded 2 trillion won since the country began tracking such data in 2018.
"Despite higher fuel surcharges linked to the Middle East crisis, inbound arrivals were up 21 percent on-year through May, and surpassed 10 million by mid-June, showing solid growth momentum," Kang Jung-won, head of the ministry's tourism policy office, said. "We will expand cooperation with private-sector partners, including K-pop artists and export companies, to further promote South Korea as a travel destination."
Worauf zu achten ist
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South Korea may set a new annual high for foreign visitors.
Wahrscheinlich · Innerhalb von Monaten
Offene Fragen
- Will the growth momentum continue throughout the year?
- What specific private-sector partnerships will be formed?
- How will fuel surcharges impact future travel decisions?
