SEOUL, January 30 (AJP) - The number of foreign visitors to South Korea last year surpassed pre-pandemic levels, according to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization on Friday.
The country welcomed about 18.94 million visitors last year, up 8.2 percent from the previous record of 17.50 million in 2019, just before the coronavirus pandemic closed borders around the world.
Chinese visitors accounted for the most with 5.48 million, followed by Japan with 3.65 million, Taiwan with 1.89 million, the U.S. with 1.48 million, and Hong Kong with 620,000. In December alone, South Korea saw 1.52 million visitors, up 19.5 percent from the same month a year earlier.
With visitor numbers from China gradually recovering to 77.4 percent from levels seen in 2019, Taiwan led the rebound with a 181.4 percent increase, followed by the U.S. at 136.5 percent, driven in part by the popularity of K-pop and other cultural attractions.
Outbound travel by South Koreans also recovered to 29.55 million last year. During the Christmas holiday season in December, some 2.75 million people traveled overseas, seeing a recovery to 117.3 percent compared to the same month in 2019.
The country welcomed about 18.94 million visitors last year, up 8.2 percent from the previous record of 17.50 million in 2019, just before the coronavirus pandemic closed borders around the world.
Chinese visitors accounted for the most with 5.48 million, followed by Japan with 3.65 million, Taiwan with 1.89 million, the U.S. with 1.48 million, and Hong Kong with 620,000. In December alone, South Korea saw 1.52 million visitors, up 19.5 percent from the same month a year earlier.
With visitor numbers from China gradually recovering to 77.4 percent from levels seen in 2019, Taiwan led the rebound with a 181.4 percent increase, followed by the U.S. at 136.5 percent, driven in part by the popularity of K-pop and other cultural attractions.
Outbound travel by South Koreans also recovered to 29.55 million last year. During the Christmas holiday season in December, some 2.75 million people traveled overseas, seeing a recovery to 117.3 percent compared to the same month in 2019.
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