South Korea witnessed a significant rebound in cruise tourism in 2024, with visitor numbers nearly tripling compared to the previous year, according to Yonhap.
According to data released by the Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries, approximately 810,000 tourists arrived in South Korea via cruise ships in 2024, a substantial increase from the 273,000 recorded in 2023. This surge is attributed to the strong post-pandemic recovery in global travel demand.
The number of cruise ships visiting South Korean ports also saw a significant increase, reaching 414 in 2024 compared to 203 in 2023.
While this marks a significant recovery, the 2024 figures still fall below the peak of 1.95 million visitors recorded in 2016.
Chinese tourists accounted for a substantial portion of the 2024 arrivals, with 510,000 visitors, representing 63 percent of the total. This figure is a sharp increase from the mere 50,000 Chinese tourists who visited in 2023.
The Ministry of Oceans and Fisheries anticipates a further increase in cruise tourism in 2025, projecting that the number of visitors will reach 1.09 million.