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[YARI Data Snapshot] Trend in South Korea's Tourism Balance

South Korea's Tourism Balance Finally Turns Positive, Marking Two Consecutive Months of Surplus


 📈 Korea’s tourism balance has finally moved into positive territory.

After years of persistent deficits, the tourism balance recorded a USD 260 million surplus in March 2026, followed by another USD 160 million surplus in April—marking two consecutive months in the black.

The turnaround reflects two simultaneous shifts. Inbound tourism continued to expand, with Korea welcoming a record 4.74 million international visitors in Q1 2026 and generating USD 5.84 billion in tourism revenue. At the same time, outbound travel growth began to slow amid high exchange rates and rising travel costs.

Still, the quarterly picture remains cautious. Korea posted a USD 2.24 billion tourism deficit in Q1, meaning the recent monthly surpluses have yet to develop into a sustained structural trend.

📄 Explore the full analysis of Korea’s inbound and outbound tourism performance in Yanolja Research Brief Vol. 13:

Vol.13 Analysis of Korea's Inbound and Outbound Tourism Performance for Q1 2026


📊 Find the latest tourism indicators on Yanolja Research Datalab:

Datalab Tourism Dashboard

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Location: Seoul, South Korea

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