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[Yanolja Research Brief] Vol.10 Inbound and Outbound Tourism Performance Analysis for January-September 2025

 Korea’s Tourism in 2025(Jan-Sep): Strong Visitor Growth, New Travel Patterns Emerging

International travel connected to Korea is entering a new phase. Visitor numbers are rising quickly, travel behavior is evolving, and structural shifts are reshaping the tourism economy. Below are the key developments shaping tourism performance in 2025 so far.


International Visitors Reach a Historic High

  • 14.08 million international visitors arrived between January and September 2025

  • This is 8.9% higher than the same period in 2019, marking the highest level on record

  • Growth accelerated throughout the year

    • Q1: modest increase

    • Q2: steady expansion

    • Q3: strong double-digit growth

These trends indicate that global travel demand for Korea has not only recovered but is now expanding at a faster pace than before the pandemic.


Visitor Markets Are Becoming More Diverse

  • Asian markets, previously slower to recover, have now surpassed pre-pandemic levels

  • Strong growth has also been recorded from:

    • The Americas

    • Oceania

    • Africa

    • Europe

    • The Middle East

This broad-based recovery suggests Korea’s inbound tourism is becoming less dependent on a limited number of markets.


Tourism Revenue Recovery Remains Uneven

Despite the rapid increase in visitor numbers, tourism income has not recovered at the same pace.

  • Average spending per visitor remains below pre-pandemic levels

  • Total tourism receipts have improved but have not fully reached 2019 levels

Two major structural factors appear to be influencing this trend:

1. Declining duty-free spending

2. Rapid growth of cruise tourism


Koreans Continue to Travel Abroad at High Levels

  • 21.66 million Koreans traveled overseas between January and September 2025

  • Traveler volume is close to pre-pandemic levels

  • Demand appears to be entering a stable post-recovery phase


Travelers Are Spending More Abroad

Even though outbound traveler numbers are still slightly below 2019 levels, spending per traveler has increased.

Behavioral shifts are driving this trend

  • Food tourism has become significantly more popular

  • Shopping abroad remains an important activity

These changes have contributed to rising overseas tourism expenditure.


The tourism landscape around Korea is clearly evolving:

  • Visitor arrivals are reaching new records

  • Travel markets are becoming more diverse

  • Consumer behavior is shifting both domestically and internationally

These trends offer important insights into how the global tourism ecosystem around Korea is transforming.

👉 Visit the official website to explore the full analysis, data breakdowns, and detailed insights behind these trends.

[Yanolja Research Brief Vol.10] Inbound and Outbound Tourism Performance Analysis for January-September 2025

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Location: Seoul, South Korea

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