Foreign Tourists Are Not Just Visiting from Abroad... 2.58 Million Foreign Residents Drive Domestic Travel

Korea Tourism Organization Survey on Foreign Residents' Tourism Market
Seven Out of Ten Foreign Residents Travel Domestically

Seven out of ten foreigners residing in Korea have experienced domestic day trips in the past year. With the number of foreigners living in Korea rising to 2.58 million, there is growing analysis that they are emerging as a new consumer group in the tourism industry.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization published the "Survey on the Tourism Market of Foreigners Residing in Korea" report on May 13, presenting the current status of travel among foreigners living in Korea. This survey was conducted to analyze the domestic travel patterns of foreigners residing in Korea, viewing them as a new source of tourism demand. Foreign residents now account for about 5% of the total population.

Based on a survey of 1,000 foreigners residing in Korea, 69.1% had experienced a day trip in the past year, while 58.8% had taken an overnight trip. On average, respondents took 3.7 day trips and 2 overnight trips per year.

Individual travel was the predominant type of trip, with 93.8% of respondents choosing to travel independently. The most popular travel activities were enjoying nature and scenery (85.7%) and experiencing local food (64.2%). This was followed by visiting palaces and historical sites (48.7%), relaxation and leisure (46.3%), and shopping (42.1%). The average travel expenditure per person was 266,000 won.

Travel patterns also varied depending on visa status. International students had the highest day trip rate at 79.1%, while professionals with work visas recorded the highest rate of overnight trips (74.0%) and the highest average number of overnight trips (3.11 times).

There were also differences in travel destinations by region. For day trips, the most visited areas were Gyeonggi Province (36.0%), Seoul (30.8%), Busan (22.7%), Gangwon Province (22.0%), and Incheon (16.6%), with a high concentration in the metropolitan area. In contrast, overnight trips were more popular in non-metropolitan regions, with Gangwon Province (27.7%), Busan (27.4%), Jeju Island (20.8%), Seoul (16.1%), and Gyeonggi Province (11.8%) ranking highest.

Demand for domestic travel is expected to continue. Some 85.9% of foreigners residing in Korea said they plan to travel domestically within the next year, with an average of four trips planned annually. Additionally, 66.3% responded that they would consider inviting friends or acquaintances from their home countries to visit Korea.

Kim Sungeun, Head of the Tourism AI Data Office at the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "Foreigners residing in Korea serve as a massive source of domestic travel demand and also act as ambassadors who promote Korea’s appeal worldwide. We will strengthen the development of region-specific tourism content tailored for foreign residents and enhance linked marketing efforts."