Skip to main content

[Yanolja Research Brief] Vol.3 South Korea's 2025 Inbound Tourism Demand Forecast

Forecasting South Korea's Inbound Tourism Demand Using an AI-Based LSTM Model

South Korea’s inbound tourism outlook for 2025 is being shaped by cutting-edge AI technology, marking a new era in tourism forecasting.


AI-Powered Forecasting: The Game Changer

  • Yanolja Research developed an advanced AI model based on LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory) deep learning technology, specially designed to analyze time-series data and capture long-term trends in tourism demand.
  • This model integrates diverse data sources including global mobility patterns, economic indicators, and social media trends to deliver highly accurate predictions.
  • The model’s precision is proven by its recent forecast accuracy: it predicted 16.08 million visitors for Nov 2023–Oct 2024, closely matching the actual 15.88 million with only a 1.3% error margin.


What the AI Model Predicts for 2025

  • Approximately 18.73 million foreign tourists are expected to visit South Korea in 2025, a 7% increase over the 2019 pre-pandemic peak.
  • The forecast reflects not just seasonal fluctuations but also deeper, long-term influences like political events and economic shifts in key source countries.
  • While uncertainties such as political unrest and economic slowdowns remain, the model’s dynamic adaptability allows it to update predictions as new data emerges.


Why This Matters for the Tourism Industry

  • This AI-driven approach helps businesses and policymakers anticipate demand more reliably, enabling smarter resource allocation and strategic planning.
  • It also highlights the growing importance of data-driven decision-making in boosting South Korea’s tourism competitiveness on the global stage.


Discover how AI is transforming tourism forecasting and what it means for South Korea’s vibrant travel market. For a detailed breakdown and insights by country, visit the official website and explore the full forecast.

Yanolja Research Brief Vol.3


Check out the video explaining how LSTM reflects time-series changes and how Yanolja Research predicts inbound tourist numbers for the coming year.



Comments

Popular posts from this blog

📢Yanolja Research Giveaway🎉

📢Yanolja Research Giveaway🎉 We are Yanolja Research , Korea’s first private research institute dedicated to travel and tourism studies. We publish Insights (monthly) and the Quarterly Trends in Korea’s Lodging Industry , along with occasional Briefs and Research Reports . By following Yanolja Research on social media, you will be among the first to receive notice of new publications, as well as updates when summary posts or video features based on our reports are released. 📅 Event Period September 12, 2025 (Fri) – October 12, 2025 (Sun) KST 🏆 Winner Announcement Late October (winners will be notified individually) 📌 How to Join 1. Follow Yanolja Research across our social media channels  (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Threads, X, YouTube, Blogger). – The more channels you follow, the greater your chances of winning. 2. Post your quiz answer in the comments of the event post on each platform. 3. Complete the Google Form with the platforms you follow, your account ID, and the...

[Yanolja Research Brief] Vol.5 Korea's Inbound and Outbound Tourism Performance in 2024

Korea’s Tourism Landscape in 2024: Key Highlights 2024 marked a dynamic year for Korea’s tourism industry, with both inbound and outbound travel showing strong signs of recovery. Explore the main trends shaping the sector and discover why now is a pivotal moment for Korea’s travel market. Inbound Tourism: Visitor Numbers Surge, Revenue Lags Visitor Recovery Nears Pre-Pandemic Levels Over 16.3 million foreign tourists visited Korea in 2024, reaching 93.5% of the 2019 record and rising 48.4% from the previous year. Asian travelers made up nearly 79% of all visitors, though full recovery from this region remains just out of reach. Diverse Growth Across Regions Arrivals from the Americas, Europe, Africa, and Oceania exceeded 2019 levels, while the Middle East saw a minor dip. Tourism Revenue Stagnates Despite the influx of visitors, tourism income reached only $16.45 billion-just 80% of the 2019 figure. Visitors are Flooding into Korea—But Where’s the Money? Outbound Travel: Koreans Travel...

[Yanolja Research Q2 2025 Quarterly Trends in the Korea Lodging Industry] Luxury Hotels Down, Motels on the Rise?

Luxury Slips, Budget Stays Bounce Back According to Yanolja Research’s Q2 2025 Korea Lodging Industry Report, the domestic lodging market demonstrated a pronounced polarization. While the luxury segment recorded sharp declines , budget-friendly accommodations maintained resilience and even expanded their presence . So, what’s behind this contrast? Let’s take a closer look. Sharp Declines in Luxury Hotels and Resorts The luxury sector experienced significant contraction. In Q2 2025, five-star hotels reported a 23% decline in RevPAR (Revenue per Available Room) compared with Q2 2024, while resorts recorded a 19% drop. This downturn reflects two key dynamics: prolonged economic stagnation that has weakened consumer sentiment, and the resurgence of outbound travel , which has redirected demand away from domestic luxury accommodations. In other words, consumers who had previously spent on high-end domestic stays have shifted their spending overseas. Value Strikes Back: Motels and Pensions ...