International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in South Korea
South Korea: International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items was 548.00 million current US$ in 2020. ◆ Volatile
International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in South Korea, 1995–2020
Source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
South Korea recorded 548.00 million current US$ for international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in 2020. That is the lowest value across all 26 years on record.
That represents a change of down 78.9% on the previous year and down 72.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in South Korea peaked at 2.94 billion current US$ in 2014 and was at its lowest, 548.00 million current US$, in 2020.
South Korea ranks 29th of 179 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in South Korea, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 606.00 million current US$ | — |
| 1996 | 809.00 million current US$ | +33.5% |
| 1997 | 1.05 billion current US$ | +29.9% |
| 1998 | 557.00 million current US$ | -47.0% |
| 1999 | 674.00 million current US$ | +21.0% |
| 2000 | 813.00 million current US$ | +20.6% |
| 2001 | 732.00 million current US$ | -10.0% |
| 2002 | 975.00 million current US$ | +33.2% |
| 2003 | 960.00 million current US$ | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 1.16 billion current US$ | +20.5% |
| 2005 | 1.52 billion current US$ | +31.2% |
| 2006 | 2.14 billion current US$ | +40.8% |
| 2007 | 2.47 billion current US$ | +15.7% |
| 2008 | 2.39 billion current US$ | -3.4% |
| 2009 | 1.32 billion current US$ | -44.8% |
| 2010 | 2.02 billion current US$ | +53.2% |
| 2011 | 2.27 billion current US$ | +12.5% |
| 2012 | 2.29 billion current US$ | +0.6% |
| 2013 | 2.81 billion current US$ | +22.8% |
| 2014 | 2.94 billion current US$ | +4.7% |
| 2015 | 2.69 billion current US$ | -8.7% |
| 2016 | 2.57 billion current US$ | -4.2% |
| 2017 | 2.76 billion current US$ | +7.3% |
| 2018 | 2.89 billion current US$ | +4.6% |
| 2019 | 2.60 billion current US$ | -10.0% |
| 2020 | 548.00 million current US$ | -78.9% |
South Korea compared with similar countries
- South Korea's 548.00 million current US$ is above the median for high income countries, which is 195.00 million current US$, 2.8× the median. (60 countries reporting)
- South Korea's 548.00 million current US$ is above the median for East Asia & Pacific, which is 25.50 million current US$, 21.5× the median. (26 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 739.40 million current US$ | 557.00 million current US$ | 1.05 billion current US$ | 5 |
| 2000s | 1.45 billion current US$ | 732.00 million current US$ | 2.47 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.59 billion current US$ | 2.02 billion current US$ | 2.94 billion current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 548.00 million current US$ | 548.00 million current US$ | 548.00 million current US$ | 1 |
Countries ranked near South Korea
More private sector data for South Korea
- Merchandise trade 71.6% (2025)
- Food imports 6.5% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 62.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 631.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 183.44 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 1.7% (2025)
- Manufactures exports 88.0% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 709.33 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 149.31 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 13,724 current US$ per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in South Korea?
- International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items in South Korea was 548.00 million current US$ in 2020, according to Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism.
- What is the highest international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items recorded in South Korea?
- The highest recorded value was 2.94 billion current US$ in 2014.
- What is the lowest international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items recorded in South Korea?
- The lowest recorded value was 548.00 million current US$ in 2020.
- How does South Korea rank for international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items?
- South Korea ranks 29th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is international tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items rising or falling in South Korea?
- Over the last ten years it is down 72.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this South Korea data come from?
- The figures come from Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism, published as part of International tourism, expenditures for passenger transport items (current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 26 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
International tourism expenditures for passenger transport items are expenditures of international outbound visitors in other countries for all services provided during international transportation by nonresident carriers. Also included are passenger services performed within an economy by nonresident carriers. Excluded are passenger services provided to nonresidents by resident carriers within the resident economies; these are included in travel items. In addition to the services covered by passenger fares--including fares that are a part of package tours but excluding cruise fares, which are included in travel--passenger services include such items as charges for excess baggage, vehicles, or other personal accompanying effects and expenditures for food, drink, or other items for which passengers make expenditures while on board carriers. Data are in current U.S. dollars.