Tourism surge continues in South Korea as the country recorded its highest first-quarter foreign tourist arrivals ever. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced Thursday that 4.76 million visitors came to Korea from January to March. This figure represents a 23 percent increase compared to the same period last year.
March alone saw around 2.06 million inbound visitors, up 27 percent from 1.61 million a year ago. The month coincided with BTS’s comeback performance on March 21. Chinese visitors accounted for the largest share with more than 1.45 million arrivals, up 29 percent. Japanese tourists followed with 940,000 arrivals, an increase of 20.2 percent. Taiwan showed the fastest growth with 540,000 arrivals, up 37.7 percent.
Visitors from the United States and Europe totaled 690,000, a 17.1 percent increase. A total of 338 cruise ship calls were recorded at major ports including Jeju, Busan and Incheon, up 52.9 percent from a year earlier.
Arrivals through regional airports surged 49.7 percent. The share of tourists visiting areas outside Seoul rose to 34.5 percent, up 3.2 percentage points. Foreign card spending climbed 23 percent. Overall visitor satisfaction remained high at 90.8 points.
The government revised its 2026 tourism target upward to 23 million visitors, a 21.4 percent increase from last year’s 18.94 million. Authorities broadened eligibility for multiple-entry visas to 12 countries and expanded automated immigration clearance from 18 to 42 nations. Kang Jung-won, head of the Tourism Policy Office, noted potential risks such as rising airfare due to higher fuel costs. The tourism surge continues to drive economic growth and international cultural exchange.
