Korea tourist arrivals hit 17.1 million through September, on pace to beat 2025 record

South Korea welcomed 17.11 million foreign tourists in the first nine months of 2026, up 21.5 percent from 14.08 million a year earlier, the culture ministry said Thursday, putting the country on course to surpass last year's full-year total of 18.94 million within October.

Spending by foreign visitors rose faster than their numbers. Card outlays in the tourism sector reached 15.9 trillion won ($12 billion) in the January-to-September period, compared with 10.8 trillion won ($8.14 billion) a year earlier, an increase of 47.7 percent.

Arrivals through regional gateways also grew, with 3.24 million foreigners entering through non-metropolitan airports in the nine months, up 37.4 percent from a year earlier, and 1.58 million coming through ports, up 14.5 percent. Together they accounted for 28.2 percent of inbound travelers.

By market, Chinese visitors remained the largest group at 5.47 million, up 29.2 percent. Japan followed with 3.12 million, up 16.9 percent, and Taiwan with 1.86 million, up 32.4 percent. Arrivals from Hong Kong reached 550,000, up 18.6 percent, while the Americas contributed 1.62 million, up 12.0 percent, and Europe 1.19 million, up 20.0 percent.

"Efforts on multiple fronts — raising awareness of Korea as a destination, improving the travel environment and expanding content — are bearing fruit," said Kang Jung-won, director of the ministry's tourism policy bureau. He said the ministry would soon hold a press briefing to share this year's results in detail and set out policy directions for next year.