Korea Welcomes a Surge in International Visitors: Key Highlights from Early 2024
Curious about the latest trends in Korea’s inbound tourism? Here’s a snapshot of what’s driving the excitement-and what’s changing-among international travelers this year.
Record-Breaking Visitor Growth
- Nearly 4.9 million foreign tourists visited Korea between January and April 2024.
- This marks an impressive 87% increase over the same period last year, reaching 89% of pre-pandemic (2019) levels.
Diverse Global Appeal
- Visitors from Asia more than doubled compared to 2023, with countries like Singapore, Indonesia, and India even surpassing their 2019 numbers.
- Tourists from the Americas, Europe, Oceania, and Africa are also flocking to Korea in greater numbers than ever before.
- Most major countries, except those affected by international conflicts, sent more visitors than in 2019.
How Travelers Are Arriving
- 88% of international arrivals came by air, while 12% chose to arrive by sea.
- Sea arrivals are on the rise, especially from China, thanks to the resumption of cruise travel.
Shifting Spending Patterns
- Despite the surge in visitor numbers, average spending per tourist has dropped to $1,063-down from $1,286 in 2019 and $1,858 in 2023.
- The decrease is linked to shorter stays and a higher proportion of leisure travelers compared to business visitors.
Shorter Stays, More Leisure
- The average length of stay for foreign tourists fell to 6.5 days, nearly two days shorter than last year.
- Notably, Chinese tourists now stay an average of 6.5 days, down from nearly 14 days in early 2023.
- Leisure travel is up by 8.4%, while business travel has declined by 3.6%.
Want to see the full breakdown by country and discover more insights? Visit our official website for the complete analysis and the latest updates on Korea’s inbound tourism trends!
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