[Yonhap Photo]
According to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization on August 31, the number of foreign tourists in July reached 263,986, up 218 percent from 83,000 in July 2021. American tourists accounted for the largest portion with 53,942, followed by Vietnamese with 18,867 and Filipinos with 18,146. A total of 17,907 Chinese tourists visited. The number of Japanese tourists stood at 11,789, up 1,238 percent from the same period in 2021 due to eased restrictions on tourist visa applications and shortened issuance period.
In November 2021, South Korea's southern port city Busan embarked on a project to create a one-stop tourist pass service called "Busan Tourism Pass" to enable foreigners to visit tourist spots and use public transport using a single plastic or digital app card. The tourist pass service benchmarks "My Seoul Pass," a tourist pass service that offers up to 50 percent discount on ticket prices. The Seoul tourist pass also offers tourist insurance programs as well as reservation services for hot tourist attractions and accommodations through a dedicated smartphone app.
One of the most popular districts visited by foreigners is Myeong-dong, a shopping district in central Seoul. Many tourists visit the district to enjoy traditional Korean street food such as Dak-kkochi, a spicy grilled chicken skewer, and Tteokbokki, a cylinder-shaped rice cake dish with South Koreans' famous hot chili paste.
reporter
Kim Joo-heon
jhkim123@ajunews.com
