A survey jointly conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization has found that 60% of foreign nationals in their 20s and 30s from 21 countries that send the most visitors to Korea will visit the country within three years. Shown are foreign tourists wearing Hanbok in the southern coastal city of Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do Province. (Korea.net DB)
By Elias Molina and Yoon Hee Young
Sixty percent of foreign nationals in their 20s and 30s hope to visit Korea within three years, a survey said.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) on April 26 released the results of their joint study on potential tourism in Korea conducted last year. The poll had an estimated 30,000 respondents over age 15 in 21 countries that send the most visitors to Korea.
The study found that 47% of the respondents expressed a willingness to visit Korea within three years, with 58.6% of 20-somethings saying so and 58% in their 30s.
In addition, 30.2% of those intending to visit said they would go “when Korea is considered safe from COVID-19” and 28% “when official bodies including the World Health Organization declare the end of COVID-19.”
By region, Asia and the Middle East saw the most people interested in visiting Korea including the Philippines (80.4%), Singapore (72%), Vietnam (70.1%), Indonesia (69.1%), Hong Kong (66.7%), Malaysia (66.4%), China (63.9%), the United Arab Emirates (61.6%) and Thailand (61.5%).
On the reasons for visiting, the most popular answer (15.1%) was “many ways to enjoy culture and experiences.” This was mainly attributed to the global boom in Hallyu through content such as that from the K-pop sensation BTS and the smash Netflix series “Squid Game.”
Kim Sung-eun, head of the KTO’s Tourism Big Data Service Team, said, “As the first attempt to gauge potential demand for foreign visitors in the top 21 countries sending tourists to Korea, we can see the possibility of domestic tourism recovery in the post-COVID-19 era.”
The survey was conducted last year from July 16-25 and Dec. 20-31.
eliasmolina@korea.kr
