Media Release: 9 February 2026 Oceania visitation to Korea tops 300,000 in 2025 (Image: Daereungwon Ancient Tomb Complex, Gyeongju) South Korea welcomed more than 300,000 visitors from Oceania in 2025, with 267,157 Australians and 44,708 New Zealanders travelling to Korea across the year. That brings total visitation from Australia and New Zealand to 311,865 (Korea Tourism Organization visitor data). The strong result reflects growing appetite for Korea among Aussie and Kiwi travellers, with Australian visitor data showing travellers aged 21 to 30 as the largest visiting cohort in 2025, marking a clear shift from pre-pandemic trends which skewed older. Momentum peaked in April 2025 , when Australia saw its highest monthly visitation of 36,222 travellers to Korea . The April surge highlights Korea’s appeal during spring, when cherry blossoms transform parks and river walks across Seoul and key regional destinations, and travellers pair city stays with easy day trips, food culture and seasonal festivals. “It’s great to see more Australians and New Zealanders discovering Korea and exploring its culture, food and unique experiences,” said Mr Hyeongjoon Kim, Director of Korea Tourism Organization Sydney . “Air access is increasingly convenient, with direct services available on carriers including Korean Air, Asiana, Jetstar and T’way, plus short connection options via partners such as Singapore Airlines, Cathay Pacific and Malaysia Airlines. With the Australian dollar performing strongly, Korea can offer great value, and we are excited to inspire even more travel to Korea in 2026.” Korea globally recorded 18.9 million international visitor arrivals in 2025 , signalling a broad based recovery in inbound tourism. Looking ahead, Korea Tourism Organization’s new CEO Park Sung-hyeuck has publicly set a target of 30 million annual inbound visitors by 2028 , bringing forward the previous 2030 timeline and keeping destination growth firmly in the spotlight. Korea’s cultural pull continues to shape travel intent, with K-drama, K-content and K-pop influencing trip planning. Recent travel industry reporting, drawing on Korea Tourism Organization and PassportCard Australia data, suggests family interest is rising, with pop culture moments such as KPop Demon Hunters sparking curiosity among younger travellers and parents considering Korea for future holidays. For media inquiries, please contact [email protected].

Australian education travel product managers gained first-hand insights into Korea’s cultural programs and unique educational experiences. The KTO (Korea Tourism Organization) Sydney Office, in cooperation with SETO (Student Educational Travel Organisation), invited product managers, consultants, and education professionals to Korea from 29 September to 5 October 2025. The familiarisation tour showcased a variety of educational and cultural activities for student tours across Seoul, Gyeongju, Daejeon and Gyeonggi-do Province. The primary purpose of the familiarisation tour was to explore and experience immersive educational and cultural programs that product managers plan to introduce to Australian schools. Key highlights included visits to a science high school, STEM-focused institutions, and a range of cultural and historical landmarks. Participants assessed which venues and activities would be most suitable for future student travel itineraries. [Seoul] 📍 Gyeongbokgung Palace Tour, 📍 N Seoul Tower 📍 National Museum of Korea 📍 Namsangol Hanok Village 📍 Lotte World & Seoul Sky [Gyeonggi-do Province] 📍 Incheon Jincheon Science High School 📍 Hyundai Motorstudio 📍 Samsung Innovation Museum 📍 Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, 📍 DMZ [Daejeon] * Daedoek Science Town, Government-funded research and development district 📍 ETRI (Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute) 📍 KISTI (Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information) [Gyeongju] 📍 Bulguksa Temple 📍 Seokguram Grotto 📍 Daereungwon Ancient Tombs 📍 Cheomseongdae Observatory All participants expressed their expectation that Korea will become the next leading educational tour destination, offering a rich variety of experiences that blend unique culture, art, cuisine, sports, and the latest K-pop trends with valuable STEM learning opportunities. The KTO Sydney Office continues to expand the diversity of educational travel themes by offering immersive cultural programs, hands-on STEM learning experiences, and arts and sports-themed tours. In 2026, KTO will further promote Korea as an emerging destination for educational travel. The KTO Sydney Office also supports schools visiting Korea by providing essential cultural activities for students. In addition, tour operators developing new Korea education products are eligible for trade support. For further information or developing a Korea education product in Australia and New Zealand, please contact Hyunju Park at (02) 9252 4147 or via email at [email protected] . KTO Sydney Office support 🤝 SIT Support Cultural activities Cooking class K-pop Dance Class 🤝 KTO Sydney Trade Support We’re here to help you sell Korea with confidence! Here’s what we offer for different trade partners: Tour Operators & Itineraries – Support for creating and promoting new Korea tours, including connections to Korean DMCs, hotels, and partners. We can also provide co-op marketing support to help promote your tour products. Agencies & Teams – Want your staff to know Korea inside out? We can run tailored training sessions to upskill your team and keep everyone confident about selling Korea. Travel Agents – Brochures, guides, posters, and images are all available to help you promote Korea to your clients. We can also provide info and tips to make selling easier.