Inbound Travel to Korea Up 600%: Where Are Visitors Booking?

Hello from ONDA, the digital leader in hospitality ecosystems.

Friends and acquaintances are jetting off abroad again, filling their feeds with travel photos—signs that travel is finally recovering to pre-COVID levels.

The UN World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) estimates global travel will reach 80–95% of 2019 levels this year, based on January indicators.

As outbound demand recovers, inbound travelers to Korea are surging too. With PCR tests for arrivals from China lifted as of March 1st, and direct flights resuming between regional airports and Chinese cities, places like Jeju are primed for a tourism boom.

Let's look at the data—and what hoteliers should do about it.

How strong is the inbound rebound?

Here are a few key metrics from Korea Tourism Data Lab's 2022 global visitor report:

Foreign arrivals in 2022 grew roughly 6.5x from January to December—a steady climb back toward pre-pandemic volume. Expect this trajectory to continue.

Where are these travelers coming from?

By region: Asia, Americas, Europe—in that order. Among Asian visitors, Japan, China, the Philippines, and Vietnam topped the list.

6 out of 10 visitors come for tourism

Tourism accounted for roughly 60% of inbound visits in 2022—triple the 21% share from 2021. Leisure travel is back.

Google Hotel bookings point to global channel growth

Two years ago, ONDA partnered with Google Hotel to integrate its booking channel.

Looking at internal data, transaction volume grew 14x from 2021 to 2022. Both domestic and international travelers use Google to book—proof that global channels carry serious weight.

Beyond Google, foreign visitors also book through Agoda, Airbnb, and Trip.com. ONDA partners who've connected to global channels see an average of ₩6M+ in incremental revenue.

With inbound demand roaring back, now's the time to plug into global channels and capture bookings you'd otherwise miss.

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