South Korea Country Commercial Guide
Learn about the market conditions, opportunities, regulations, and business conditions in South Korea, prepared by at U.S. Embassies worldwide by Commerce Department, State Department and other U.S. agencies’ professionals.
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Travel and Tourism
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Overview

Table: South Korea’s total outbound departures, travel to the United States, and global inbound visitor arrivals from 2019 through 2025.

South Korea2019202020212022202320242025
Total Outbound Travel28,714,2474,276,0061,222,5416,554,03122,715,84128,720,77329,575,501
Outbound Travel to the U.S.2,298,279439,286202,711919,7951,600,4001,700,1231,647,142
Global Inbound Travel17,502,7562,519,118967,0033,198,01711,031,66516,968,20319,584,714

Source: Korea Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), U.S. Department of Commerce National Travel & Tourism Office (USDOC, NTTO).

South Korea has been a growing market in terms of arrivals and export revenue for the United States. Koreans’ desire for international travel and the abundance of information sharing through mass media and social networking platforms, has been contributing to the growth of outbound tourism. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, 2020-2022 was a challenging period but Korea’s travel industry showed fast recovery after the removal of mandatory quarantine and re-opening of borders by overseas destinations. In 2025, 29.57 million Koreans traveled internationally, a significant 2.9 percent increase compared to 2024 levels. In the same year, 1,647,142 Koreans traveled to the United States, reaching almost 72 percent of its pre-pandemic level.

Airlines and travel agents have reported a significant recovery in international travel bookings since spring 2022, driven by strong pent-up demand and improved travel confidence. Recent industry surveys show that more than 90 percent of Koreans are eager to plan a vacation within the next six months, with overseas travel being the most anticipated activity.

Prior to the pandemic, international travel by Koreans was growing rapidly, offering significant opportunities for U.S. tourism exports. The U.S. remained one of the top five destinations for Korean outbound travelers and was consistently the top non-Asian and long-haul destination. Koreans overwhelmingly choose the United States as their preferred travel destination, mainly due to the diversity of unique travel experiences not commonly available in Asia. Additionally, they are drawn to American-style shopping; fine dining; theme parks; cultural attractions in major U.S. cities; relatively affordable golf experiences, and the U.S. National Parks. On average, a Korean visitor to the U.S. spent approximately 5,220 USD per trip in 2024 and this number translated to over 8.8 billion USD in tourism revenue from Korean outbound travelers to the United States. In 2025, Korea was the eighth largest source of inbound travel to the U.S., behind Mexico, Canada, the United Kingdom, India, Brazil, Japan, and Germany.

In the context of post pandemic era, restoring travel confidence, rising discretionary spending on activities, gradual increases in vacation time, heightened globalization, and greater awareness of international developments outside the Korean Peninsula will resume and motivate more Koreans to travel overseas. Korea’s GDP per capita (PPP) rose to 55,071 USD in 2024 (according to the World Bank), placing it securely in the ranks of middle-income countries.

The recent boom in social commerce (social networks and websites that provide product/service sellers access to a large pool of Korean consumers) is contributing to a growing trend, as it offers all types of travel products and unique experiences. Korean travelers use social media platforms such as Kakao Talk, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, and other online platforms to search for travel information. Korea is well-known for having one of the fastest internet networks in the world, with internet penetration reaching 98 percent. Moreover, travel booking via mobile devices continues to expand for Korean consumers and has become a widely used method of travel planning. Nine out of 10 Korean travelers own a smartphone, and roughly half of those users booked flights or hotels via smartphones in the past twelve months. Over 84 percent of the population owns a smartphone. As a result, more Korean travel companies are focusing on app-based travel platforms and creating user-friendly mobile applications, as the number of Korean travelers using online/mobile booking services is rapidly increasing.

Korean mass media is influenced by U.S. movies, advertising, and popular culture, and this influence continues to stimulate interest in U.S. travel destinations. South Koreans’ positive perception of overseas travel, along with abundance of information-sharing through mass and social media, is expected to continue boosting the growth of outbound tourism in the coming years.  

Sub-sector Best Prospects

  • Free and independent travelers.
  • Group package tours.
  • Family vacation packages.
  • Culinary tours.
  • Cultural tours and scenic/nature tour packages, especially designed for Korean travelers.
  • Luxury packages catering to Korea’s professional workers, traveling for leisure.
  • National parks.
  • Outdoor activities: Golf, hiking, cycling, fishing.
  • Educational travel.
  • MICE.

Opportunities

The tourism industry has shown remarkable resilience, and the Korean market is rebounding back to pre-pandemic levels, driven by a surge in pent-up demand for outbound travel. Emerging trends, such as a focus on wellness, health, safety, and hygienic travel conditions, have become crucial factors for Koreans when selecting destinations and tourism activities.

The U.S. has been the leading non-Asian destination for Koreans, offering a wide variety of activities, including culinary tours and cultural experiences. U.S.-bound Koreans make up 8 percent of Korea’s outbound market, and there is potential for further growth. Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, and Seattle followed by the New York-Washington, DC corridor, have been the most popular destinations. For outbound travel, Koreans often opt for group package tours or travel individually to visit friends and relatives. Group tours typically focus on price-competitive products, which appeal to Korean travel agents, but there is a growing trend toward luxury travel packages. Korean travelers are generally interested in the following activities in the U.S.: visiting museums, national parks, amusement/theme parks, fashion outlets, golf courses, and purchasing over-the-counter pharmaceuticals, vitamins, U.S. cosmetics, as well as exploring unique local restaurants and wineries.

To tap into the Korean market, American travel and tourism entities should provide marketing collaterals on their destinations and attractions, preferably in the Korean language, and cultivate long-term relationships with the Korean travel trade industry. There are approximately 17,000 tour companies in Korea handling outbound travel packages. Effective educational programs and digital marketing strategies focused on the U.S. are key to accessing and revitalizing travel demand from the Korean market.  

For more details, please contact the U.S. Commercial Service in Korea.  

Resources

Trade Events

  • Brand USA Sales Mission to Korea, July 20-21, 2026
  • Seoul International Travel Fair: June 2027 
  • IPW May 2-6, 2027
  • Busan International Travel Fair: September 8-11, 2026

Key Contacts

  • National Travel and Tourism Office (NTTO)
  • Korea Tourism Organization
  • Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
  • Visit USA Korea
  • Brand USA
  • AMCHAM Korea Travel and Tourism Committee

Local Contact

U.S. Commercial Service Korea    
U.S. Embassy Seoul
188 Sejong-daero, Jongro-gu
Seoul 03141, Korea
Tel: 82-2-397-4535
office.seoul@trade.gov
www.trade.gov/south-korea

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