From January to March this year, approximately 3.4 million international tourists visited Korea, marking the highest quarterly volume since the COVID-19 outbreak. March alone accounted for about 1.5 million visitors, the highest monthly figure post-pandemic. Notably, during the fourth week of March, the number of tourists reached about 330,000, achieving a 100.2% recovery compared to the same period in 2019, fully regaining the pre-COVID visitor levels for the first time.

The increase in March coincides with warmer weather and the cherry blossom season, alongside school spring breaks in Japan, the Americas, and Europe, making it a peak season for travel to Korea. Furthermore, hosting international events such as the Major League Baseball opening ceremony in Seoul this March has contributed to increased visitors from Japan and the United States.

The US market for visitors to Korea grew by 20%, exceeding the pre-COVID-19 figures, and Singapore’s market grew by 60%.

In March 2024, inbound tourists totaled 1,492,000, reaching a 97.1% recovery from the same period in 2019, the highest monthly recovery rate since the pandemic. The first quarter of 2024 saw 3,403,000 tourists visiting Korea, and 88.6% recovery from the first quarter of 2019, which had 3.84 million visitors. Notably, half of the top 10 markets[1] for visitors to Korea have already surpassed their visitor numbers from the same period in 2019. Taiwan (306,000 visitors, 108.8% recovery), the United States (244,000, 119.3%), Vietnam (110,000, 100.4%), Singapore (68,000, 163.3%), and the Philippines (108,000, 109.3%) have all shown recovery rates exceeding 100%.

Chinese Tourists Surpass Already 1 Million This Year, Japanese Tourist Market Also Thriving

The mature markets, such as China and Japan, have shown prominent recovery trends. The Chinese market surpassed 1 million visitors in the first quarter, with 1,015,000 tourists visiting Korea. China, which resumed overseas travel relatively late in February last year, has shown an encouraging recovery compared to the 2,010,000 visitors in 2023.

The Japanese market, which led inbound tourism last year, welcomed 666,000 visitors in the first quarter. Notably, in March 2024, 340,000 Japanese tourists visited Korea, nearly doubling from 180,000 in February, coinciding with Shohei Ohtani’s participation in the MLB season opener and the spring break. On March 16, before a special MLB game in Seoul, daily Japanese visitors peaked at 13,000, nearly twice the first quarter’s daily average of 7,300. According to the Korea Tourism Data Lab’s Shinhan Card data on foreign tourist spending, spending by foreign tourists in Guro District surged from KRW 760 million in February to KRW 1.89 billion in March, demonstrating a 2.5-fold increase because of the impact of major sporting events.

Steep Growth in Visitor Numbers from Emerging Markets Like the Americas and Europe, with Ongoing Promotional Efforts for Visiting Korea

Emerging markets, such as the Americas and Europe, displayed the steepest visitor growth curves. Besides the 244,000 visitors from the United States, Australia saw 51,000 visitors, achieving a 146% recovery compared to the first quarter of 2019. France and Germany recorded recoveries of 142% and 130%, with 27,000 and 32,000 visitors, respectively. Visitors from Italy and Sweden, where promotional efforts to visit Korea are ongoing, increased by 42% and 41%, respectively, compared to the first quarter of 2023.

Further data from Korea Tourism Data Lab’s analysis of KT’s visitor movement data shows that American tourists typically stay in Korea for 12 to 14 days, 3 to 4 times longer than the average 3- to 4-day stay of tourists from nearby Asian countries. Typically, long-distance travelers stay longer and spend more. Regionally, Chinese tourists prefer Jeju Island, while Americans favor Gyeonggi Province, reflecting high interest in visa-free entry to Jeju for Chinese and peace tourism initiatives like the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) for Americans.

Korea as a Preferred Destination During Japan’s Golden Week and China’s Labor Day

The upcoming holiday periods of Japan’s Golden Week (April 27 to May 6) and China’s Labor Day (May 1 to May 5) are expected to continue driving growth in inbound tourism. During the 10-day Golden Week, around 100,000 Japanese tourists, averaging 10,000 daily, are expected to visit Korea. Notably, according to HIS, a Japanese travel agency, bookings for Jeju Island by Japanese tourists have increased by 1502.1% from the previous year, making it the fastest-growing travel destination. During China’s Labor Day period, about 80,000 Chinese tourists are expected, averaging 16,000 daily. High reservation rates for flights, cruises, and ferries, along with increased individual visa issuances exceeding the 2019 figure, suggest continued growth in inbound tourism.

The Ministry is accelerating efforts to recover and advance inbound tourism. Focusing on mature markets like China and Japan, it aims to diversify the primary tourist demographics beyond women in their 20s and 30s to include a broader age range and gender balance, and to diversify tourism content such as sports and educational trips. In addition, it plans to strengthen tailored marketing efforts in emerging markets like the Americas and Europe.