2026 Foreign Arrivals in Korea Forecast at 23.57 Million, a Record High

Yanolja Research, the research arm of travel platform company Yanolja, revised its 2026 forecast for foreign visitors to Korea upward to 23.567 million in a brief titled "2026 Forecast of Foreign Tourist Arrivals to Korea," published September 17. The figure is 24.5% higher than last year's actual total of 18.937 million and about 2.31 million above the upper end of the forecast (21.26 million) the firm gave in January.

Yanolja Research said demand for travel to Korea from Japan and Taiwan grew faster than expected from early this year, and that momentum has since spread to long-haul markets such as the United States. From January to July this year, foreign arrivals reached 12.803 million, up 2.244 million (21.3%) year on year, with July alone bringing in 2.093 million arrivals, the highest monthly figure so far this year.

Search data reflects the same trend. According to Yanolja Research, searches in Japan for Korea-related arts and entertainment content rose 116.0% year on year, and food and beverage searches rose 198.3%; in Taiwan, the same categories grew 38.7% and 69.8%, respectively. Korea's pre-pandemic record of about 17.5 million visitors, set in 2019, was already surpassed last year with 18.937 million arrivals, and a 23.567 million total this year would push that record even higher.

Travelers planning a trip to Korea should factor in this surge in visitor numbers. Popular accommodations and flights at peak travel times in Seoul, Busan and Jeju could sell out earlier than usual, especially during the fall high season and year-end holidays, so booking lodging and transportation early is the safer bet. It's also worth building extra time into your itinerary, since wait times at major attractions and restaurants may run longer than usual.