Tourist arrivals in January reach 1.12 million, a 27 percent yearly jump
Close to 1.12 million tourists arrived in South Korea in January, a rise from the same period last year, potentially showing the fallout from the martial law declaration had not put people off visiting the country.
The latest data from the state-run Korea Tourism Organization shows the number of arrivals in January this year rose 27 percent from the 881,000 in January 2024. The figures are a good start to the year, in which the organization is aiming for 20 million arrivals.
At a press event last month, Seo Young-choong, the state-run KTO’s acting president, unveiled measures aimed at riding out the impact of uncertainties following President Yoon Suk Yeol’s declaration in December of martial law, lifted hours later.
The KTO, Seo has said, will front-load the budget this year to sustain the momentum for tourism. Spending will focus on holding most of the KTO road shows in the first half of the year, a plan the state tourism company describes as key to an “early travel boom.”
The January tourist tally has emboldened KTO officials because it is slightly more than the 1.1 million arrivals of the same period in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, the outlook for this year isn’t all rosy, according to Seo, who cited the escalating US-China trade conflict as weighing on the KTO plan to attract travelers from China -- the country sending the largest number of tourists to Korea.
Chinese made up one-third or 364,000 of the 1.12 million total arrivals in January. Last year, arrivals from China fell short of KTO projections due to weak Chinese consumer spending prompted by a slowing economy, Seo said. The intensifying trade row with the US could further dampen optimism, he added.
In response, the KTO is betting on themed tours to appeal to countries other than China.
The company plans to promote Korea as a stop for foods and beauty treatments, something the country is increasingly getting spotlighted for, according to a KTO official.
“Korea has long been known for its variety of beauty treatments, and interest in its food has just gone global,” a KTO official said, noting that the Netflix reality cooking show “Culinary Class Wars” boosted interest in Korea as a gastronomic destination. Influencers would be enlisted to promote themed tours, the official added.
The KTO also plans to work with buyers in Singapore, the US and France on organizing “luxury trips” to Korea including cruise tours. The KTO considers travel plans worth $5,000 and more as high-end.
siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com
