Despite rising costs and a weaker yen making overseas travel more burdensome for Japanese citizens, the number of Japanese travelers visiting South Korea is rapidly increasing. This year, more than one in four Japanese travelers has chosen South Korea as their destination, with the proportion of Japanese tourists visiting Korea reaching a record high of 28%.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea from January to July this year reached 12.8 million, a 21.3% increase from 10.56 million during the same period last year. Among them, 2.28 million were Japanese, marking an 18.8% increase from 1.92 million in the previous year.
Compared to the overall increase in Japanese outbound travel, the rise in visitors to South Korea is even more pronounced. During the same period, 8.14 million Japanese traveled abroad, a modest 4.1% increase from the previous year. The share of Japanese travelers heading to South Korea has climbed to 28%, surpassing major destinations such as the United States, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Slow Recovery of Japan's Overseas Travel Market, Growth in Visits to Korea
Japan's overseas travel market has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, 14.73 million Japanese traveled abroad last year, which is only 73.4% of the 20.08 million who traveled in 2019. Rising prices and travel costs are also suppressing demand for overseas travel.
Despite these challenges, South Korea has established itself as a key overseas travel destination for Japanese tourists. During this year's Golden Week, South Korea topped the list of overseas travel bookings by JTB, while Seoul ranked first and Jeju and Busan placed fifth and sixth, respectively, in HIS's city rankings.
The expansion of flight availability has also played a significant role. In July, the number of weekly airline seats between Japan and South Korea increased by 2.4% to 349,000 compared to the end of last year. Even with the yen's depreciation, the exchange rate burden against the Korean won has been relatively lower than against other major currencies, making travel to Korea more attractive.
The growing consumption of K-culture in Japan is further supporting the demand for travel to South Korea. Interest has expanded beyond K-pop and dramas to include cosmetics, food, beauty, and shopping. According to the Japan Import Cosmetics Association, the market share of Korean products in Japan's imported cosmetics market rose from 30.8% last year to 33.5% in the first quarter of this year.
Increased Arrivals at Regional Airports
The rise in Japanese tourists is also evident at regional airports. From January to July this year, 269,752 Japanese travelers arrived at Gimhae Airport, a 52% increase from the same period last year. Jeju Airport welcomed 22,048 Japanese visitors, up 60%, while Cheongju Airport saw a 93% increase with 20,548 arrivals.
The Ministry of Culture and the Korea Tourism Organization are promoting the development of regional tourism products linked to local airports, as well as discounts on flights and charter services. Connecting Japanese tourists arriving at regional airports to local stays and spending is the next challenge.
Overall foreign spending in South Korea has also increased. From January to July this year, foreign card spending reached 12.86 trillion won, a 48.3% increase from 8.15 trillion won during the same period last year, significantly outpacing the 21.3% growth rate of foreign tourists visiting South Korea.
“The increase in airline seat availability, the popularity of K-culture, and fluctuations in exchange rates are contributing to the rise in Japanese tourists visiting South Korea, revitalizing the inbound tourism market,” said Kang Jeong-won, head of the tourism policy division at the Ministry of Culture. “We will continue to maintain the growth of inbound tourism through tailored responses considering market conditions.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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