Foreign visitors to Korea top 17.1 mil. through September, nearing 2025 full-year level

Korea welcomed 17.11 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of 2026, the government said Thursday, putting arrivals on track to exceed the 18.94 million recorded for all of 2025 by October. September arrivals reached 2.06 million, keeping monthly totals above 2 million. Foreigners’ tourism-related card spending rose 47.7 percent to 15.94 trillion won through September. More visitors entered through regional airports and seaports outside the capital region.

China was the largest source market, with 5.47 million visitors, up 29.2 percent from a year earlier.

Visitors from Japan totaled 3.12 million, up 16.9 percent, while Taiwan sent 1.86 million, up 32.4 percent.

Arrivals from the Americas rose 12 percent to 1.62 million, and those from Europe increased 20 percent to 1.19 million.

Regional airports handled 3.24 million visitors, or 19 percent of the total, a 37.4 percent increase.

A further 1.58 million visitors arrived through seaports outside the capital region, up 14.5 percent; they accounted for 9.2 percent of arrivals.

Published Oct 22, 2026 11:00 am KST

Updated Oct 22, 2026 11:11 am KST

Foreign tourists take a photo at Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap

Korea welcomed 17.11 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of this year, marking a 21.5 percent increase from the same period in 2025 and puts the country on track to pass last year's full-year total by October, the government said Thursday.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 2.06 million foreign tourists arrived in September alone, up 21.1 percent from a year earlier, keeping monthly arrivals above the 2 million mark. The January-September total compares with 14.08 million a year earlier and 18.94 million for all of 2025.

China remained the largest source market with 5.47 million visitors, up 29.2 percent. Japan followed with 3.12 million, up 16.9 percent, while visitors from Taiwan were recorded at 1.86 million, up 32.4 percent. Arrivals from the Americas rose 12 percent to 1.62 million and those from Europe climbed 20 percent to 1.19 million.

Spending grew even faster.

Foreigners’ card spending in tourism-related sectors, including online purchases, reached 15.94 trillion won ($12 billion) through September. That was up 47.7 percent from 10.79 trillion won a year earlier.

More travelers are also bypassing the greater Seoul area, home to the country’s main international gateways, Incheon and Gimpo airports. Some 3.24 million visitors, or 19 percent of the total, came in through regional airports, up 37.4 percent.

These include Gimhae in the southeastern port city of Busan, Jeju on the southern resort island of the same name, Cheongju and Daegu. Another 1.58 million, or 9.2 percent, arrived through seaports outside the capital region, including Busan, Jeju, Seogwipo, Yeosu and Gunsan, up 14.5 percent.

“Efforts on multiple fronts — raising Korea’s profile as a travel destination, improving the travel environment and expanding tourism content — are bearing fruit,” said Kang Jung-won, deputy minister for tourism policy.

The ministry is set to hold a press conference to share this year’s results in detail and outline its policy direction for next year, according to Kang.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.

韩国政府周四表示，2026年前九个月，韩国接待外国游客1711万人次，预计到10月份，入境游客人数将超过2025年全年1894万人次的纪录。9月份入境游客人数达到206万人次，月度总数保持在200万人次以上。截至9月份，外国游客的旅游相关消费额增长47.7%，达到15.94万亿韩元。更多游客选择从首都圈以外的地区机场和港口入境。

中国是最大的客源市场，游客人数达 547 万人次，比上年增长 29.2%。

来自日本的游客总数为 312 万人次，增长 16.9%；来自台湾的游客总数为 186 万人次，增长 32.4%。

来自美洲的游客人数增长了 12%，达到 162 万人；来自欧洲的游客人数增长了 20%，达到 119 万人。

区域机场接待了 324 万名游客，占总数的 19%，增长了 37.4%。

另有 158 万游客经由首都地区以外的海港抵达，增长了 14.5%；他们占入境游客总数的 9.2%。

发布于2026年10月22日上午11:00（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年10月22日上午11:11（韩国标准时间）

周三，外国游客在首尔景福宫拍照留念。（韩联社）

韩国政府周四表示，今年前九个月，韩国接待了1711万外国游客，比2025年同期增长了21.5%，有望在10月份超过去年全年游客总数。

据文化、体育和旅游部统计，仅9月份就有206万外国游客到访韩国，比去年同期增长21.1%，月度到访游客总数保持在200万以上。今年1月至9月的到访游客总数为1408万，而去年同期为1894万。

中国仍然是最大的客源市场，游客人数达547万人次，同比增长29.2%。日本紧随其后，游客人数为312万人次，同比增长16.9%；台湾游客人数为186万人次，同比增长32.4%。来自美洲的游客人数增长12%，达到162万人次；来自欧洲的游客人数增长20%，达到119万人次。

消费支出增长速度甚至更快。

截至9月份，外国人在旅游相关领域（包括网上购物）的信用卡消费额达到15.94万亿韩元（约合120亿美元），比去年同期的10.79万亿韩元增长了47.7%。

越来越多的旅客选择绕过首尔大都会区，该区域拥有韩国主要的国际门户机场——仁川机场和金浦机场。约有324万游客（占总数的19%）经由地方机场入境，同比增长37.4%。

其中包括位于东南部港口城市釜山的金海港、位于南部同名度假岛屿济州岛的济州港、清州港和大邱港。另有158万人（占总数的9.2%）经由首都圈以外的海港抵达，包括釜山、济州、西归浦、丽水和群山，增幅达14.5%。

旅游政策部副部长姜正元表示：“多方面的努力——提升韩国作为旅游目的地的形象、改善旅游环境、扩大旅游内容——正在取得成效。”

据康透露，该部将召开新闻发布会，详细介绍今年的成果，并概述明年的政策方向。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。