Tourism in South Korea
South Korea recorded a total of 16.37 million international tourists in 2024.Without taking into account the size of the country, such a ranking may not be very meaningful. If you convert the total number of tourists to the number of inhabitants of South Korea, a somewhat more comparable picture emerges: With 0.32 travelers per inhabitant, South Korea was noticeably in the lower half in a global comparison.
Back to overview: South Korea
Development of the tourism sector in South Korea 1995 to 2024
The following graph shows the number of foreign tourists registered in South Korea each year. Due to too many missing data for 1-day tourists, this graph only shows those visitors who spent at least one night in the country. Insofar as the survey also included the purpose of the trip, business trips and other travel purposes that were not tourism-related were already filtered out. Stays by transiting crew members of ships or airplanes are also not considered tourism. If the same person travels in and out several times within a year, each visit counts again.Figures in the chart in millions of tourists.The absolute number of visitors is noticeably lower than in other countries in the region. At less than 2%, foreign tourists only make up a very small proportion of the gross domestic product. If domestic tourists are included, the figure is 5%. However, apart from the severe slump in the pandemic years, the importance is growing rapidly.
The most popular city in South Korea for travelers is Seoul. In 2025, it reached the 10th place of the world's most popular cities. Although Busan does not occupy a top position either, it has repeatedly achieved high visitor numbers in recent years.
Worldwide comparisons:
› International tourism
› List of safest travel countries
Major travel destinations in South Korea
Above all, South Korea combines state-of-the-art architecture and technology with ancient traditions. Local cuisine and Korean culture mingle with temples and historic palaces. In addition to huge shopping malls and a diverse nightlife, the major cities also offer large parks, museums and plenty of history.The most important destinations:
- As South Korea's capital, Seoul is probably the most important tourist destination. Sights such as the Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village and the Seoul Tower attract large numbers of visitors every year. Nightlife and social leisure activities stand out here in particular. In the Myeongdong shopping district, there is not only a lot to discover, but also to buy.
- The coastal city of Busan is the second largest city in South Korea and attracts millions of visitors every year with its picturesque beaches, temples, markets and lively city center. The mix of beach vacation and high-tech backdrop gives your stay a special flair.
- The southernmost island of Jeju is known for its breathtaking nature, volcanic landscapes, beautiful beaches and hiking trails. It is a popular destination for domestic and international tourists and is often chosen as a honeymoon destination. The latter may also be due to the "Harubang", the blue smurf-like figures from the 18th century. According to myth, women become pregnant particularly quickly if they are touched on the nose.
- As one of the oldest cities in South Korea, Gyeongju is rich in historical and cultural sights, including the Bulguksa Temple, the Seokguram Grotto Temple and the Gyeongju National Museum.
- The Soraksan and Chirisan National Parks are famous for their vast mountain landscapes with clear rivers, waterfalls and countless hiking trails.
Economic importance of tourism for South Korea
In 1995, income from tourism amounted to 5.15 billion dollars, or around 0.91 percent of gross national product. In addition, there were 1.52 billion dollars for passenger transportation to the country, e.g. flight costs if a domestic airline was used. With around 3.75 million tourists at the time, this corresponded to around 1,372 dollars per person (including day visitors). Within 29 years, the country's dependence on tourism has increased noticeably. Before the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, sales accounted for 1.2% of gross national product at USD 20.87 billion. This means that each visitor spent an average of 1,173 dollars on their vacation in South Korea.In 2020, sales to tourists collapsed due to the COVID-19 pandemic pandemic. Only 10.28 billion dollars remained from the 20.87 billion dollars of the year 2019. This is a decrease of 51 percent in South Korea. In 2024, revenue amounted to 16.72 billion dollars. This is still around 19.89 percent below the previous level. The most recent revenue per tourist was 1,021 US dollars.
A total of 330,715 people, or 0.64 percent of all residents, are also directly employed in the tourism industry (2022). In addition, there are numerous industries that are heavily dependent on travelers but are not primarily tourism-related.
Revenue excluding passenger transportation in billions of US dollars:
All data for South Korea in detail
| Year | Overnight tourists | Same day tourists | Receipts | % of GNP | Revenues per tourist |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 16,370,000 | 16,716.60 m $ | 0.89 % | 1,021 $ | |
| 2023 | 11,032,000 | 15,294.30 m $ | 0.83 % | 1,386 $ | |
| 2022 | 3,198,000 | 12,462.20 m $ | 0.69 % | 3,897 $ | |
| 2021 | 967,000 | 10,803.80 m $ | 0.56 % | 11,172 $ | |
| 2020 | 2,519,200 | 3,000 | 10,276.10 m $ | 0.59 % | 4,074 $ |
| 2019 | * 17,503,000 | 279,000 | 20,867.00 m $ | 1.2 % | 1,173 $ |
| 2018 | * 15,347,000 | 218,000 | 18,567.00 m $ | 1.0 % | 1,193 $ |
| 2017 | * 13,336,000 | 505,000 | 13,368.00 m $ | 0.78 % | 966 $ |
| 2016 | * 17,242,000 | 2,258,000 | 16,886.00 m $ | 1.1 % | 866 $ |
| 2015 | * 13,232,000 | 1,046,000 | 14,798.00 m $ | 1.0 % | 1,036 $ |
| 2014 | * 14,202,000 | 955,000 | 17,460.00 m $ | 1.2 % | 1,152 $ |
| 2013 | * 12,176,000 | 699,000 | 14,392.00 m $ | 1.0 % | 1,118 $ |
| 2012 | * 11,140,000 | 13,273.00 m $ | 1.0 % | 1,191 $ | |
| 2011 | * 9,795,000 | 12,362.00 m $ | 0.99 % | 1,262 $ | |
| 2010 | * 8,798,000 | 10,263.00 m $ | 0.90 % | 1,167 $ | |
| 2009 | * 7,818,000 | 9,773.00 m $ | 1.0 % | 1,250 $ | |
| 2008 | * 6,891,000 | 9,735.00 m $ | 0.93 % | 1,413 $ | |
| 2007 | * 6,448,000 | 6,103.00 m $ | 0.52 % | 946 $ | |
| 2006 | * 6,155,000 | 5,717.00 m $ | 0.54 % | 929 $ | |
| 2005 | * 6,023,000 | 5,798.00 m $ | 0.62 % | 963 $ | |
| 2004 | * 5,818,000 | 6,065.00 m $ | 0.76 % | 1,042 $ | |
| 2003 | * 4,753,000 | 5,355.00 m $ | 0.76 % | 1,127 $ | |
| 2002 | * 5,347,000 | 5,932.00 m $ | 0.95 % | 1,109 $ | |
| 2001 | * 5,147,000 | 6,382.00 m $ | 1.2 % | 1,240 $ | |
| 2000 | * 5,322,000 | 6,834.00 m $ | 1.2 % | 1,284 $ | |
| 1999 | * 4,660,000 | 6,841.00 m $ | 1.4 % | 1,468 $ | |
| 1998 | * 4,250,000 | 6,908.00 m $ | 1.8 % | 1,625 $ | |
| 1997 | * 3,908,000 | 4,731.00 m $ | 0.83 % | 1,211 $ | |
| 1996 | * 3,684,000 | 4,880.00 m $ | 0.80 % | 1,325 $ | |
| 1995 | * 3,753,000 | 5,150.00 m $ | 0.91 % | 1,372 $ |
Data basis
Our data comes from the World Tourism Organization (WTO), a United Nations organization that collects tourism data from individual countries every year. This data is then validated and homogenized to make it internationally comparable. However, the World Tourism Organization points out that in some countries the number of tourists is only counted at airports, while in others it is also counted at border crossings or even hotels. A comprehensive and reliable figure is therefore hardly possible in any country, but can only be estimated.The WTO has no visitor figures for years marked with an asterisk. Here we have used data sets from the World Bank and from our own research, which in most cases are comparable with those of the WTO, but do not always meet the same criteria.
Note on transport costs:
The WTO divides cash flows into amounts spent by travelers within South Korea and passenger transport costs, if these can be attributed to the destination country. So if someone travels from USA to South Korea with an airline from their own country, these costs are also recorded in the United States. If, on the other hand, they take an airline from South Korea, the money flows from USA to South Korea and is counted there. This is purely for economic reasons, to measure the travel industry's income and expenditure per country. It is irrelevant to the WTO how much the traveler has spent in total.