SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA / RankWire.AI / – In July 2026, South Korea saw a total of 2,093,223 international visitors, marking a continued robust revival in global tourism. This figure represents a 20.8% rise compared to 1,733,199 arrivals in July 2025. Additionally, it is 44.6% higher than the number recorded in July 2019, prior to the pandemic’s impact on international travel. The Korea Tourism Organization shared these latest monthly tourism statistics on August 25.
The number of foreign visitors also experienced a significant increase compared to the same month two years earlier. In July 2024, South Korea recorded 1,408,499 international arrivals, making this year’s total 48.6% higher. China remained the leading source of inbound tourism during July 2026. Visitors from China numbered approximately 777,000, with Japan, Taiwan, the United States, and Hong Kong rounding out the top five source markets.
Japan accounted for roughly 330,000 foreign travelers, while Taiwan contributed about 261,000. The United States sent approximately 150,000 visitors, and Hong Kong added around 76,000. All five primary markets surpassed their respective visitor numbers from July 2019. China’s growth was 49.6% from that pre-pandemic benchmark, Japan increased by 20.2%, and Taiwan saw a remarkable 129.4% rise.
Asian nations lead the increase in July tourism figures
Travelers from the United States grew by 54.4% from July 2019, and arrivals from Hong Kong increased by 29.1%. The July data clearly demonstrate that South Korea’s most important tourism markets have all recovered beyond their pre-pandemic levels. China remains the dominant visitor source, followed by Japan and Taiwan. The United States ranks fourth among the five main markets reported for the month.
The overall figures for the first seven months of 2026 also point to strong growth in foreign tourism. During this period, South Korea welcomed 12,803,142 international visitors, a 21.3% increase from the same span in 2025. The total for these seven months reached 129.5% of the corresponding period in 2019. According to Korea Tourism Organization data, China contributed about 3.99 million visitors, with Japan and Taiwan providing 2.28 million and 1.41 million respectively.
Inbound tourist numbers remain above pre-pandemic levels
During the first seven months of 2026, the United States accounted for roughly 960,000 visitors. Hong Kong contributed about 420,000 travelers over the same period. These latest figures highlight the scale of South Korea’s inbound tourism compared to pre-pandemic years. In July, arrivals exceeded both the 2024 and 2025 monthly totals by double digits, while the cumulative number of foreign visitors remained well above 2019 levels.
In contrast, outbound travel showed a slight decrease. Around 2,419,457 South Korean nationals traveled abroad in July, representing a 0.7% decline from 2,435,291 in the same month last year. From January to July, approximately 17.38 million South Koreans traveled overseas. This total equaled 98.5% of the same period in 2019, meaning outbound travel was slightly below the pre-pandemic benchmark, even though inbound tourism remains significantly higher.