Korea Tourism Receipts
International tourism receipts ST.INT.RCPT.CD
Korea's tourism receipts was $11.8B in 2020, ranked 11th globally. This represents a 53.7% decrease from 2019. Data from World Bank, covering 1995–2020.
Overview
Korea's tourism receipts stood at $11.8B in 2020, a decline of +$13.7B from 2019. Korea ranked 11th globally.
South Korea’s tourism receipts fell to US$11,776,000,000.00 in 2020, ranking the nation eleventh worldwide, a sharp contraction from the all‑time peak of US$25,456,000,000.00 recorded in 2019 and still well above the all‑time trough of US$6,317,000,000.00 in 1997. The 2020 figure is comparable to Japan’s US$11,395,000,000.00 and slightly higher than Mexico’s US$11,449,000,000.00, underscoring South Korea’s position among the top mid‑size tourism markets despite the pandemic‑induced downturn. Over the 26‑year series, receipts have more than tripled since the mid‑1990s, reflecting expanded inbound travel, high‑value cultural attractions and strategic promotion of K‑pop and cuisine. Recovery will depend on the speed of global travel resumption, visa liberalisation and the ability to convert post‑COVID demand into sustained visitor spending, which could restore the upward trajectory observed before 2020.
Data & projection
| Year | Tourism Receipts | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $11.8B | −$13.7B | #11 |
| 2019 | $25.5B | +$2.4B | #16 |
| 2018 | $23.1B | +$5.9B | #18 |
| 2017 | $17.2B | −$3.8B | #22 |
| 2016 | $20.9B | +$2.2B | #15 |
| 2015 | $18.7B | −$3.7B | #18 |
| 2014 | $22.4B | +$2.9B | #11 |
| 2013 | $19.5B | +$726.0M | #13 |
| 2012 | $18.7B | +$1.4B | #13 |
| 2011 | $17.3B | +$3.0B | #14 |
| 2010 | $14.3B | +$1.1B | #14 |
| 2009 | $13.3B | −$178.0M | #14 |
| 2008 | $13.4B | +$4.2B | #18 |
| 2007 | $9.3B | +$816.0M | #27 |
| 2006 | $8.4B | +$155.0M | #23 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Korea matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2006. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw tourism receipts improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Korea's tourism receipts was $11.8B in 2020. Ranked 11th globally. This represents a 53.7% decrease from the previous year.
Korea's tourism receipts peaked at $25.5B in 2019.
The lowest tourism receipts in Korea was $6.3B in 1997.
Korea ranks 11th globally in tourism receipts as of 2020.
The World Bank indicator code is ST.INT.RCPT.CD. Data sourced from World Bank.
Korea's tourism receipts was approximately 11.78 billion ($11.8B) in 2020.
The tourism receipts of Korea in 2020 was $11.8B. This ranks 11th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_korea_tourism-receipts,
title = {Korea Tourism Receipts},
url = {https://historysaid.com/korea/tourism-receipts/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}