Number of Foreign Tourists in October Rises by 8.7%... Chinese Visitors Lead with 472,000

In October, the number of foreign tourists visiting Korea reached 1.74 million, surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
According to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on the 28th, the number of inbound tourists in October totaled 1,739,020, an increase of 8.7% compared to the same period last year. This figure represents 105.0% of the level recorded in October 2019, indicating that inbound tourism demand has recovered to pre-pandemic levels.
The largest number of visitors came from the People's Republic of China (PRC), with 472,000 tourists arriving in Korea in October. Japan followed with 317,000, Taiwan with 161,000, and the United States of America (U.S.) with 149,000.
However, when examining the recovery rate by region compared to 2019, the U.S., Japan, and Taiwan recorded 147.3%, 127.5%, and 125.9%, respectively, while the PRC stood at 83.2%, indicating a slower recovery.
Meanwhile, the cumulative number of inbound tourists from January to October this year reached 15.82 million, a 15.2% increase compared to the same period last year. This is 108.4% of the level seen during the same period in 2019, confirming a general recovery trend across all regions.

As the government has set a target of attracting 18.5 million foreign tourists this year, achieving this goal appears well within reach.

jsm64@fnnews.com Jung Soon-min Reporter