- Cumulative arrivals through August (15.05 million) and arrivals in August alone (2.25 million) both reach their highest levels in 30 years

- International visitors’ tourism-related card spending through August reaches KRW 14.018 trillion, up 48.5% year on year and the highest level since records began

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST) announced that 15.05 million international visitors came to Korea from January through August 2026, up 21.6% from 12.38 million during the same period last year. Arrivals in August alone reached 2.25 million, up 23.3% year on year. Both the monthly and cumulative figures reached their highest levels in the past 30 years.

Visitor spending has also risen, while entry routes have become more diverse. International visitors’ card spending in the tourism sector totaled KRW 14.018 trillion through August 2026, up 48.5% from KRW 9.4396 trillion during the same period last year and the highest level since records began. The share of visitors entering through regional airports and seaports reached 27.8% for the January–August period, its highest level this year, indicating growing inbound travel to areas outside the capital region.

Broad-Based Growth across Markets Outpaces That of Regional Competitors

Inbound tourism markets continued to show solid overall growth across markets, including Greater China, Japan, the Americas, Europe and Oceania, and Asia and the Middle East. Growth from Greater China was particularly notable, especially in Taiwan.

Arrivals from major Southeast Asian countries also increased year on year: the Philippines recorded 454,000 visitors (+16.1%); Vietnam, 407,000 (+10.5%); Indonesia, 295,000 (+22.5%); Singapore, 243,000 (+11.9%); Thailand, 230,000 (+14.9%); and Malaysia, 207,000 (+12.6%). Indonesia’s particularly strong growth has positioned it as a new growth driver for inbound tourism from Southeast Asia.

<Inbound Arrivals by Market (Unit: persons)>

* Source: Korea Tourism Statistics, Korea Tourism Organization

This strong inbound tourism demand has supported growth that outpaced that of several major regional competitors. Through August 2026, international arrivals in Japan and Thailand fell by 2.7% and 3.1%, respectively, from the same period last year, while Vietnam recorded 14.4% growth. Korea recorded 21.6% growth.

<International Tourist Arrivals by Country (Unit: 10,000 persons)>

* Sources: Korea Tourism Statistics, Korea Tourism Organization; Japan National Tourism Organization; Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism and Sports; Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Easier Entry Lowers Barriers for Southeast Asian Visitors

The MCST has worked with the Ministry of Justice, other relevant ministries, and airlines to address immigration-related difficulties that have discouraged some Southeast Asian tourists from visiting Korea.

Working with the Ministry of Justice, the MCST eased the requirements for issuing multiple-entry visas to nationals of 11 Southeast Asian countries, including the Philippines, Vietnam, and Indonesia, effective March 30, 2026. A temporary pilot program allowing visa-free entry for Indonesian group tourists began on May 28, 2026.

The Korea Tourism Organization (President PARK Sung-hyeuck, KTO) publicized the Korean government’s relaxed visa requirements through local promotional events and social media. Through its overseas offices, KTO also supported efforts to shorten visa processing times at Korean embassies, including by operating a support center in New Delhi, India, and supporting the simplification of application documents in Manila, the Philippines.*

* Applicants who are premium customers of major local credit card companies are exempt from submitting certain proof of financial means, such as bank balance certificates, transaction records, and income tax returns.

Locally Tailored Marketing Raises Interest in Travel to Korea

The MCST and KTO sought to turn local enthusiasm for K-Culture into interest in visiting Korea. They focused on using influential local content creators and social media to generate word-of-mouth publicity. A “Korea Travel Fair 2026” in central Singapore, themed around experiencing everyday life in Korea, attracted 120,000 visitors over three days. Large events in Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia also generated interest. For promotional content and events, the MCST and KTO primarily worked with local creators with more than one million followers, as well as supporter groups with a strong interest in Korea, to drive traffic through social media.

With higher oil prices and fuel surcharges making travel to Korea more expensive since March, the MCST also supported airfare promotions in cooperation with airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs). As a result, visitor numbers rose particularly strongly in markets such as Indonesia, where the number of flights to Korea increased.*

* Number of one-way flight operations from January through August: 3,651 in 2025 → 3,974 in 2026 (+8.8%).

KANG Jung-won, Deputy Minister for Tourism Policy at the MCST, stated, “Improved entry procedures and tailored marketing are bringing a more diverse range of visitors to Korea. October, when the ‘Travel Month’ campaign takes place, is also the busiest period for international arrivals. The MCST will carefully manage entry procedures, including visa issuance and immigration processing at airports and seaports, and continue to strengthen marketing linked to K-Culture to sustain strong inbound tourism in the fourth quarter.”