As of 2024, outbound travel from South Korea has recovered to pre-pandemic levels. While most of the recovery took place in 2022 and 2023, the last year also saw some
. Other notable changes included the
, as prices decreased and additional COVID-related costs fell away. Travel behavior and preferences have largely remained the same, with the COVID-induced break looking to be an anomaly with little lasting impact on outbound travel from South Korea.
Outbound travel behavior post-pandemic
Four years since the COVID-19 pandemic crashed the tourism industry worldwide, the number of
traveler departures from South Korea has recovered to around 28.7 million departures in one year. However, South Koreans were still hesitant to travel abroad; more than half had
plans to travel internationally prior to the pandemic. This figure has improved, but not yet matched pre-pandemic numbers. A 2024 survey found that the largest group of
outbound travelers were in their thirties and that there were no significant differences based on gender.
Japan as the biggest draw for South Korean travelers
In 2024, Japan continued to be the undisputed
favorite destination for South Korean travelers, attracting almost nine million visitors. This overwhelming preference for Japan significantly outpaced other popular destinations both within the region and worldwide, with runner-up Vietnam welcoming 4.6 million Korean tourists in the same year. A 2023 survey found that Japanese food and shopping opportunities were the
biggest draws for Korean travelers to visit Japan. Its close proximity both by air and by sea was also an advantage for Koreans looking to travel abroad. Outside of Asia, the United States was the most common destination, while Spain was the most popular European country to visit. That year, Korean tourists spent an average of six to seven
days traveling abroad, making far away destinations less attractive due to the travel time involved.
Positive outlook for South Korea’s tourism industry
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, South Korea’s reputation as a worthwhile travel destination was increasing alongside its inbound and outbound tourism activity. While this was temporarily halted with the severe impact on the tourism industry worldwide, the steady and quick recovery of travel and tourism in and from the country is a good sign for the future.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no
liability for the information given being complete or correct.
Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date
data than referenced in the text.
