Time to take Korea’s tourism boom beyond Seoul, says culture minister

Korea is on track to hit its goal of 30 million foreign visitors ahead of the 2030 target, but sustaining that growth will depend on getting travelers out of the capital, the country’s top tourism official said Wednesday.

“If foreign tourists keep increasing at this pace under current conditions, the capital area will soon be saturated. But this weakness is also an opportunity. It means regions outside the capital have more than enough room to take in additional visitors, as long as they are prepared,” Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said at a press conference with local reporters.

The number of foreign visitors this year passed the 2025 full-year total of 18.94 million on Tuesday, setting a new annual record, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The ministry has set a target of 23 million visitors for this year.

Chae said each foreign visitor spends an average of about 2 million won ($1,490) in Korea, meaning 30 million visitors would bring in 60 trillion won in foreign currency.

“With 30 million now within sight, what we need to prepare for next is 40 million. That starts with expanding our capacity to receive 40 million foreign tourists,” he said.

More than 80 percent of foreign visitors currently concentrate in the Seoul metropolitan area, which the ministry says limits sustainable growth.

There are early signs of change. Foreign arrivals at Gimhae International Airport in Busan rose nearly 50 percent from January to September compared with the same period last year, while those at Cheongju International Airport in North Chungcheong Province jumped close to 60 percent, Chae said.

To build on that momentum, the government is developing “golden routes” centered on five regional airports in Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Jeonnam-Gwangju's Muan and Yangyang, Gangwon Province. The aim is to have visitors enter through regional airports and stay in those areas. About 410 billion won will be invested in the project next year across ministries and local governments.

Chae acknowledged that preparing for 40 million visitors will require far more. He cited the need for new airports, the expansion of existing ones and more international routes, as well as major improvements in visas, payment systems and transportation.

Lodging is another priority. Noting a shortage of large five-star hotels outside Seoul, Chae said the government’s 2027 budget proposal includes 152.3 billion won in loans to support the construction of large hotels in the regions. The ministry is also drafting legislation to bring general lodging businesses, now overseen by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, under its management together with tourist accommodations.

The ministry’s tourism budget for 2027 stands at 1.76 trillion won, up 19 percent from 1.48 trillion won this year.

Asked whether the government has been too focused on visitor numbers as average stays and spending decline, Chae said the length of stay has been falling gradually since 2023.

According to Korea Tourism Organization data submitted to the National Assembly for this year’s parliamentary audit, the average stay of foreign visitors fell from 7.8 days in 2023 to 6.5 days in 2025. Over the same period, average per capita spending on accommodation dropped 17.8 percent, while spending at restaurants fell 16.9 percent.

Chae attributed the decline in stays and spending to a growing number of repeat visitors, who tend to make shorter trips, and more short-haul travelers coming for weekend getaways.

To encourage these visitors to stay longer and spend more, Korea needs more diverse travel content beyond the capital, Chae said.

He expressed confidence in Korea’s long-term appeal as a destination.

“When we were young, we dreamed of one day traveling abroad to Paris or Rome. Now, more and more people around the world name Korea as the country they hope to visit at least once in their lifetime. K-culture does not appear to be a passing trend,” he said.