Eased visa rules, K-culture buzz drive record tourism boom in Korea

Korea’s tourism sector is posting record gains as relaxed visa policies and K-culture appeal draw more overseas visitors through August 2026. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said the country received 15.05 million foreign visitors, up 21.6 percent year over year, with August setting a monthly record at 2.25 million. Foreign tourism spending also hit a record 14.02 trillion won through August. Officials said regional airports, Southeast Asian markets, and K-culture marketing are helping broaden the visitor base.

Foreign credit card spending in the tourism sector rose 48.5 percent year over year to 14.02 trillion won through August 2026.

Taiwan posted a 32.2 percent surge in visitor growth in Greater China, while Indonesia recorded a 22.5 percent increase.

Nearly 28 percent of foreign visitors entered through regional airports and sea ports, showing stronger travel beyond Seoul.

The K-lifestyle showcase in Singapore drew 120,000 visitors over three days as part of overseas promotion efforts.

Published Sep 28, 2026 11:14 am KST

Updated Sep 28, 2026 12:02 pm KST

Arrivals, spending hit all-time highs, outpacing neighboring Asian markets

Foregin travelers enter Gyeongbok Place in Seoul, Thursday. Yonhap

Tourism in Korea has shattered historical records, driven by a surge in international visitors taking advantage of relaxed visa policies and a global obsession with Korean pop culture.

According to data released Monday by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea welcomed 15.05 million foreign visitors through August 2026 — a 21.6 percent jump from the same period last year. The benchmark was crossed well ahead of last year’s pace, when the country hit 15 million in mid-October.

August alone set an all-time monthly record, drawing 2.25 million overseas travelers. The influx fueled record spending, with foreign credit card expenditures in the tourism sector surging 48.5 percent year-over-year to 14.02 trillion won (about $10.5 billion) through August.

The rebound outpaces neighboring Asian destinations.

While rival tourism markets like Japan and Thailand saw slight dips of 2.7 percent and 3.1 percent over the same period, Korea’s arrivals climbed sharply across all key markets. Taiwan led the growth in Greater China with a 32.2 percent surge, while Southeast Asian markets posted double-digit gains. Indonesia stood out as a major growth driver with a 22.5 percent increase, bolstered by an 8.8 percent expansion in direct flight routes.

Government policy has played a direct role in easing travel barriers. Earlier this year, the Ministry of Justice eased multiple-entry visa requirements for 11 Southeast Asian nations and launched a visa-free entry pilot program for Indonesian tour groups. Overseas visa processing centers also streamlined document checks, allowing qualifying applicants to bypass lengthy proof-of-finance paperwork.

Beyond Seoul, regional hubs are reaping the benefits. Nearly 28 percent of foreign visitors entered through regional airports and sea ports, signaling a shift as travelers venture into coastal cities and rural provinces.

"Targeted marketing and simplified entry procedures are diversifying our visitor base," said Kang Jung-won, director general of the tourism policy bureau at the ministry. "With October’s Travel Month approaching — traditionally a peak season for international arrivals — we will closely oversee entry procedures and expand K-culture marketing to sustain this momentum."

To capture younger travelers, the government teamed up with high-profile influencers and staged interactive pop-up events across Southeast Asia, including a K-lifestyle showcase in Singapore that drew 120,000 visitors over three days. Combined with targeted promotions alongside online travel agencies to offset high fuel surcharges, the strategy has successfully converted digital fandom into real-world foot traffic across Korea.

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

韩国旅游业正取得创纪录的增长，签证政策的放宽和韩流文化的吸引力吸引了更多海外游客，预计到2026年8月，韩国旅游业将持续增长。韩国文化体育观光部表示，截至8月，韩国共接待外国游客1505万人次，同比增长21.6%，其中8月份外国游客人数达到225万人次，创下月度新高。外国游客在韩国的旅游消费也达到创纪录的14.02万亿韩元。官员表示，区域性机场、东南亚市场以及韩流文化的推广都有助于扩大游客群体。

截至 2026 年 8 月，外国信用卡在旅游业的消费额同比增长 48.5%，达到 14.02 万亿韩元。

台湾在大中华区的游客数量增长了 32.2%，而印度尼西亚的游客数量增长了 22.5%。

近 28% 的外国游客通过地区机场和海港入境，表明首尔以外的旅游市场更加活跃。

作为海外推广活动的一部分，在新加坡举办的韩国生活方式展示会三天内吸引了 12 万名参观者。

发布于2026年9月28日上午11:14（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月28日韩国时间下午12:02

入境人数和消费额均创历史新高，超过了邻近的亚洲市场。

周四，外国旅客进入首尔景福广场。（韩联社）

韩国旅游业打破了历史记录，这得益于国际游客的激增，他们利用宽松的签证政策以及全球对韩国流行文化的痴迷。

根据韩国文化体育观光部周一公布的数据，截至2026年8月，韩国已接待外国游客1505万人次，较去年同期增长21.6%。这一数字远超去年同期水平，去年韩国在10月中旬才达到1500万人次。

仅8月份就创下了历史月度纪录，吸引了225万海外游客。游客的涌入带动了消费额的飙升，截至8月份，旅游业的外国信用卡消费额同比增长48.5%，达到14.02万亿韩元（约合105亿美元）。

该地经济复苏速度超过了邻近的亚洲目的地。

尽管日本和泰国等竞争对手的旅游市场同期分别小幅下滑2.7%和3.1%，但韩国在所有主要市场的入境游客数量均大幅增长。台湾地区领衔大中华区增长，增幅达32.2%，东南亚市场也实现了两位数增长。印尼表现尤为突出，增幅达22.5%，这主要得益于直航航线数量增长8.8%。

政府政策在降低旅行壁垒方面发挥了直接作用。今年早些时候，司法部放宽了对11个东南亚国家的多次入境签证要求，并启动了针对印尼旅行团的免签入境试点项目。海外签证处理中心也简化了文件审核流程，使符合条件的申请人无需提交冗长的资金证明文件。

除了首尔之外，其他区域枢纽也从中受益。近28%的外国游客经由区域机场和海港入境，这标志着随着游客开始前往沿海城市和乡村地区，旅游趋势正在发生转变。

“有针对性的市场推广和简化的入境手续正在使我们的游客群体更加多元化，”旅游部旅游政策局局长姜正元表示，“随着10月旅游旺季的临近——这历来是国际游客的旅游高峰期——我们将密切关注入境手续，并加大韩流文化推广力度，以保持这一增长势头。”

为了吸引年轻游客，韩国政府与知名网红合作，在东南亚各地举办互动式快闪活动，其中包括在新加坡举办的韩流生活方式展示会，三天内吸引了12万名游客。此外，政府还与在线旅行社合作开展定向推广活动，以抵消高额燃油附加费的影响。这一策略成功地将网络粉丝转化为韩国各地的实际客流量。

本文由生成式人工智能协助发布，并由《韩国时报》编辑。