South Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that 10.71 million international visitors arrived in the country during the first half of 2026. Visitor numbers from Western and long-haul markets, including the Americas, Europe, and Oceania, also increased.
As of June 2026, the number of visitors from the Americas rose 12.7 percent year on year to 1.08 million, while visitors from Europe increased 20.2 percent to 740,000. Other markets, including Oceania, also recorded broad-based growth, with visitor numbers rising 11 percent to 210,000.
The United States Was the Top Source Market
According to country-level data, approximately 810,000 visitors arrived from the United States through the end of June, representing an 11.1 percent year-on-year increase. The number of visitors from Canada reached 160,000, up 17.1 percent, while visitor numbers from Brazil and Mexico increased by 22.1 percent and 16.3 percent, respectively.
In Europe, growth remained limited in Russia, where direct flights have been suspended due to ongoing conflict. In contrast, visitor numbers from the United Kingdom and Germany surpassed 100,000, increasing by 22.1 percent and 15.4 percent, respectively. France recorded 17.2 percent growth, while Italy saw a significant 29 percent increase.
