4.76 Million Foreign Tourists Visit Korea in Q1... 'Record-High Achieved'

Growth in Arrivals from China, Taiwan, and Japan
Regional Airports See 49.7% Increase in Arrivals
Tourism Spending and Regional Visitation Rates Both Rise

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on April 16 that a record 4,759,471 inbound foreign tourists visited Korea in the first quarter of this year, the highest ever for a first quarter. This represents a 23.0% increase compared to the same period last year, and in March alone, around 2.06 million foreign visitors set a new monthly record.

Duty-free area at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 Passenger Terminal

By market, Chinese tourists accounted for the largest share at 1,447,870, followed by Japan with 940,915 and Taiwan with 544,503. The highest growth rate was seen among Taiwanese visitors at 37.7%, followed by China at 29.0% and Japan at 20.2%. Long-haul markets such as the United States and Europe also saw a 17.1% increase, reaching 690,000 visitors.

By point of entry, inbound travelers arriving via airports in the greater Seoul area numbered 3,453,223, the highest among all entry points. Regional airports recorded 853,905 arrivals, up 49.7% year-on-year. Entry via ports in the greater Seoul area reached 117,182, a 59.8% increase, while regional ports saw 335,161 arrivals, up 6.1% from the previous year.

Indicators of tourism spending and regional distribution also improved. Foreign tourists' credit card spending rose 23.0% from 2.6113 trillion won in the first quarter of last year to 3.2128 trillion won in the same period this year. Satisfaction with travel to Korea increased to 90.8 points, while the regional visitation rate climbed to 34.5%.

Cruise tourism also grew. In the first quarter of this year, a total of 338 cruise ship calls were made at major ports such as Jeju, Busan, and Incheon, a 52.9% increase compared to the same period last year. Busan saw 178 cruise calls, up 191.8%, and Incheon recorded 49 calls, up 172.2%. In contrast, Jeju experienced a 24.6% decline, with 101 cruise calls.

The Ministry is also strengthening overseas marketing and cooperation with related agencies. In March, in partnership with the Ministry of Justice, Korea expanded multiple-entry visa issuance to 12 countries, including China, Vietnam, and the Philippines, and increased the number of countries eligible for automated immigration clearance to 42. From April 1, the scope of preferential entry screening for international conferences was expanded to include up to two accompanying persons. On April 10, the ministry held a public-private council on tourism transportation to discuss ways to enhance regional tourism transportation convenience for foreign visitors.

Kang Jeongwon, policy chief of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "K-Culture is driving Korea's emergence as a global tourism destination. However, we will proactively address variables such as rising airfares and geopolitical uncertainties to sustain this growth trend."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.