Outbound

Travel Market

Report 2024

South Korea

2024 Korea Tourism Statistics

Market Snaphot - Korean Outbound

Monthly

APR 2024

0 k

Korean to World(MoM)

0 %

Compared to Before COVID Month

5 %

Annual

Korean to World(2024 Accum.)

0 k

Korean to World(2024 Accum. YoY)

0 %

Korean to World(MoM)

5 %

The Rapid Recovery of South Korea’s Outbound Tourism Market: Reaching 94% of Pre-COVID Levels

In April 2024, the number of South Korean outbound tourists totaled 2.11 million, marking a 1.4% decrease from the previous month. Compared to the same month last year (February 2023), this represents a 47% increase. This figure also signifies a recovery to 94% of the peak number of visitors recorded in April 2021, before the pandemic, which saw 2.25 million tourists.

Despite April 10th being a public holiday due to the National Assembly elections in South Korea, the mid-week occurrence of the holiday seemed to have minimal impact on the outbound tourism market.

By Gender Group

Evenly distributed between men and women

Over the past year, South Korea’s outbound travel market has exhibited a consistent recovery following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic. This growth has been particularly pronounced during peak travel seasons, such as the summer vacation period and the winter break.

The gender distribution of South Korean outbound travelers is nearly equal, though during peak seasons, there is a trend of a 1 percentage point increase in the proportion of female travelers.

By Age Group

By age group – Significant Increase in Senior Tourists Over 50

In terms of age groups, the proportion of travelers in their 30s increased to 22% in April. Notably, the share of senior tourists in their 50s and 60s has grown significantly this year. As of April, travelers aged 50 and above accounted for 36% of South Korean outbound tourists, approaching the 38% share held by those in their 20s and 30s.

For a more detailed analysis of senior travelers, please refer to the <Senior Travel 2024> report.

Public Holidays in South Korea 2024

Korean Travelers Prefer Short Getaways Over Long Vacations

In South Korea, most employees work a five-day week from Monday to Friday, with extended vacations typically taken during the summer. The summer vacation period usually lasts up to seven days, including the weekend (Saturday and Sunday), but recently this period has become more flexible. Instead of taking long vacations of a week or more, Korean employees often use personal leave days during long weekends and holidays to create more frequent travel opportunities.

Date	Day	Title	Total Days Off*	Remarks
January 1	MON	New Year's Day	3
February 9–11	FRI ~ SUN	Seollal(Lunar New Year’s Day)	4
March 1	FRI	Independence Movement Day	3	Observed February 9- 12
April 10	WED	The 22nd National Assembly Election Day	1
May 5	SUN	Children's Day	2
May 15	WED	Buddha's Birthday	1
June 6	TUR	Memorial Day	1
August 15	TUR	Liberation Day	1	Observed on May 6
September 16-18	MON to WED	Chuseok	5
October 3	THU	National Foundation Day	1
October 9	WED	Hangeul Day	1
December 25	WED	Christmas	1

*Total Days Off indicates the total number of consecutive days off, including weekends, resulting from a public holiday. Typically, Koreans add their personal leave to extend this period as much as possible to take advantage of the opportunity for international travel. This helps to identify extended breaks that can be used for travel or other activities.

LEMON.LAB Professionals™ (“LEMON.LAB”) possesses a deep understanding and knowledge of the travel motivations, needs, behaviors, and trends of Korean tourists, along with extensive experience in attracting tourists and developing marketing strategies.

Not only does it consider the needs and trends of Korean international tourists, but it also analyzes the market taking into account the direct and indirect impacts of political, economic, social, cultural, and technological factors that lead to actual visits. Based on this analysis, it proposes strategies that align with the goals of public and private sector projects.

For inquiries, please send an email to chief@lemonlab.pro.

This report has been prepared by the experts at LEMON.LAB Professionals™ (“LEMON.LAB”) to provide general information based on the data they have collected. Various procedures have been followed to verify the accuracy and reliability of the information included in the report, but its completeness is not guaranteed.

This report is not intended to provide advice on specific cases for any particular company or individual. If specific decision-making is required, please consult with the experts at LEMON.LAB.

Without prior consent from LEMON.LAB, no part or whole of this report may be distributed, quoted, published, or reproduced without authorization.