Korea, Rep.: International tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2020, Korea, Rep.'s international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 72.8% on 2019 (from US$4.59 billion to US$1.25 billion).

Across the 24 yearly changes before that (1996 to 2019), the average change was +5.5% and a typical year strayed about 12.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 6.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was 31% in 2004 and the biggest yearly fall was 72.8% in 2020. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2011 to 2020 the straight-line trend is downward, about US$275.42 million a year. A straight line explains 49% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2020, Korea, Rep. had the 12th highest value of the 117 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Korea, Rep. in the 2020 ranking

• Portugal — 9th of 117: US$1.69 billion
• Austria — 10th of 117: US$1.48 billion
• Ethiopia — 11th of 117: US$1.25 billion
• Greece — 13th of 117: US$1.18 billion
• Thailand — 14th of 117: US$1.16 billion
• Hungary — 15th of 117: US$995 million

What this measures

International tourism receipts for passenger transport items are expenditures by international inbound visitors for all services provided in the international transportation by resident 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.

Regional and income-group figures are computed by the World Bank as a gap-filled total.

All 26 values

International tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) in nearby economies

• Australia — US$567 million (2020)
• Cambodia — US$96 million (2020)
• Fiji — US$85 million (2020)
• French Polynesia — US$294 million (2016)
• Hong Kong SAR, China — US$6.33 billion (2019)
• Indonesia — US$221 million (2020)
• Japan — US$798 million (2020)
• Lao PDR — US$14 million (2020)

More private sector & trade data for Korea, Rep.

• Merchandise trade (% of GDP) — 71.63% (2025)
• Merchandise imports (current US$) — US$631.9 billion (2025)
• Merchandise exports (current US$) — US$709.33 billion (2025)
• Agricultural raw materials imports (% of merchandise imports) — 0.84% (2025)
• Food imports (% of merchandise imports) — 6.47% (2025)
• Fuel imports (% of merchandise imports) — 22.18% (2025)
• Manufactures imports (% of merchandise imports) — 62.07% (2025)
• Ores and metals imports (% of merchandise imports) — 7.21% (2025)
• Merchandise imports from high-income economies (% of total merchandise imports)

Reading data like this

• Where to find free public data, and how to check it before you trust it — 2 min read
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• Real change or random noise? A plain guide to reading your numbers — 2 min read

Questions people ask

What is Korea, Rep.'s international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$)?

US$1.25 billion in 2020, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1995?

It is down 17.89% from US$1.52 billion in 1995 (0.79% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$5.46 billion in 2012 and the lowest US$1.25 billion in 2020.

How does Korea, Rep. rank?

12th highest of 117 economies with data for 2020.

Is the latest change in international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) unusual for Korea, Rep.?

In 2020, Korea, Rep.'s international tourism, receipts for passenger transport items (current US$) fell 72.8% on 2019 (from US$4.59 billion to US$1.25 billion). Across the 24 yearly changes before that (1996 to 2019), the average change was +5.5% and a typical year strayed about 12.7% from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 6.2 standard deviations below that average, so it was unusually large compared with the rest of the record.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator ST.INT.TRNR.CD, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: Yearbook of Tourism Statistics, Compendium of Tourism Statistics and data files, UN Tourism Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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