Foreign tourist arrivals in S. Korea estimated to have set annual record early

By Shim Sun-ah

SEOUL, Oct. 27 (Yonhap) -- Foreign tourist arrivals in South Korea this year are estimated to have already set an all-time annual record, the culture ministry said Tuesday.

Preliminary figures from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism showed that this year's arrivals reached about 18.91 million through Monday, and the total is believed to have surpassed the previous annual record of 18.94 million, set last year, Tuesday, with more than two months left in the year.

The ministry expects about 1.94 million people to visit next month if the current trend continues, with the annual total topping 20 million for the first time in the third week of November.

Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Chae Hwi-young said breaking the annual record more than two months early has brought the government's ambitious year-end target of 23 million foreign visitors "within reach."

Visitor numbers rose across most major markets, including Chinese-speaking regions, Japan, Southeast Asia, Europe and the Americas. Growth is also spreading beyond Seoul, with more foreign tourists entering the country through regional airports and ports and visiting areas outside the capital, a trend Chae described as "very encouraging."

"We will focus not only on quantitative expansion but also on strengthening quality so that Korea can firmly establish itself as an irreplaceable travel destination in the global tourism market," Chae said in a press release.

Foreign visitors' spending also jumped 47.7 percent from a year earlier, driven mainly by shopping, accommodation, and medical and wellness services.

The government attributed the record numbers to the global popularity of South Korean pop culture, innovation by the tourism industry and public hospitality toward foreign visitors.