The number of foreign visitors to South Korea through incentive programs has topped 280,000 this year, with the figure expected to surpass 300,000 for the full year, the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Tuesday.

According to the KTO, a total of 281,000 employees of foreign companies came to the country on incentive tours as of Friday, up 58 percent from a year earlier.

The number has already topped the previous record annual high of 211,540 in 2014, it said.

The KTO said group incentive trips from Japan, Hong Kong and other Asian countries have been significantly on the rise.

Many Chinese firms, including Aolan International Beauty Group or Aurance Group, a cosmetics and health supplements company, have sent their employees on incentive programs to South Korea this year. (Yonhap)