Why 18.93 Million Foreign Visitors in 2025 Still Leaves Concerns for South Korea
Creatrip Team
a month ago
South Korea recorded a record 18.93 million foreign visitors in 2025, surpassing the pre-pandemic 2019 figure, but the country still faces challenges in meeting long-standing tourism goals. A 2009 strategy aimed to reach 20 million inbound tourists by 2020; delays were caused by setbacks such as China’s post-THAAD restrictions and the COVID-19 pandemic. The government now targets 22–23 million for 2026 and has set a new goal of 30 million by 2030 (moved up to 2029 in a presidential report). Plans include creating second and third inbound tourism zones outside Seoul to spread visitor demand, but previous projects like the large-scale Southern Region tourism development (a 10-year, 3 trillion won plan for Busan, Gwangju, Ulsan, Jeonnam, and Gyeongnam) have faded from official mention after a change in administration. Persistent issues remain: fragmented responsibilities across ministries, outdated tourism laws from 1999 that do not recognize tech travel services, and unresolved rules on shared lodging (shared accommodation). Officials say legal and institutional reforms are needed to support K-culture-driven growth and broader regional tourism development.
