Record-High Number of Visitors to South Korea, While the Trend of “Shift Away from Travel Agencies” Speakers at the press conference included Toshihiko Honda, Chair of the Korea Working Group within the East Asia Subcommittee of the Japan Outbound Travel Council (JOTC), and Jeong Geun-hee, who assumed the position of Director of the Japan Regional Center and Tokyo Branch Manager at the Korea Tourism Organization in February 2026. The outbound market (Japanese overseas travel) in the first half of 2026 is recovering steadily, reaching 105.3% of the previous year’s level; in particular, the number of travelers to South Korea rose to 120.4% of the same period last year, driving the recovery of the overall market. While the number of Japanese travelers visiting Korea in 2025 reached a record high of approximately 3.66 million, JATA’s survey found that the number of customers using travel agency package tours fell below the previous year’s level, making the “shift away from travel agencies” a major challenge. Although the number of travelers in 2026 is projected to reach 120.4% of the previous year’s level, indicating a recovery trend, the issue of sending travelers through travel agencies remains a key concern. According to Mr. Honda, one possible factor is the “overconcentration on Seoul.” Currently, approximately 76% of foreign visitors to South Korea visit Seoul. He analyzes that this is because, during their stay in Seoul, it is easy to book flights and hotels online and use ride-hailing apps like Uber for transportation, creating an environment where travelers can freely plan their own itineraries. To provide the unique added value that travel agencies can offer—which is lacking in such “self-planned” trips—and to tap into further demand, the agency will implement initiatives in fiscal year 2026 centered on “expanding tourism to regional areas” and a “First-Time Korea Travel Support Campaign” targeting new passport holders and others.
“First Trip to Korea Support Campaign” Timed with Passport Fee Reduction JATA and the Korea Tourism Organization are running the “Let’s Travel Abroad More! Collaborative First Trip to Korea Support Campaign” through December, timed to coincide with the reduction in Japanese passport issuance fees that took effect on July 1 of this year. Targeted at first-time visitors to Korea (or those equivalent to first-time visitors), the campaign provides a subsidy of up to 5,000 yen per person toward the cost of eligible tours. As of early July, more than 60 tour packages have been registered for the campaign. Ms. Baek Hye-jin, Deputy Director of the Korea Tourism Organization’s Tokyo Branch, explained that the campaign is open to a wide range of people, including not only those who have newly obtained a passport, but also those returning to Korea after a long absence, as well as those who have visited Korea before but are visiting a new region for the first time. Furthermore, travelers do not need to apply for the campaign themselves. Instead, travel agencies design tour packages that meet the campaign’s criteria, and the discount is automatically applied when travelers book eligible tours certified by the Korea Tourism Organization. The specific subsidy amounts are as follows: for packages departing from major metropolitan areas (Narita, Haneda, Kansai, Centrair, Fukuoka) to regional areas of South Korea (excluding Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, and Incheon), and for tours departing from or arriving at other regional airports in Japan—regardless of itinerary—the discount is up to 5,000 yen. For tours departing from or arriving in major metropolitan areas that include sightseeing in Seoul, Gyeonggi Province, or Incheon, the discount is up to 3,000 yen. In connection with this campaign, Tsuyoshi Kusanagi’s YouTube channel, “YouTuber Kusanagi Channel,” released Part 1 and Part 2 of “My First Overseas Shoot in South Korea” in June. In the videos, he visits Busan and introduces tourist spots where even first-time travelers to South Korea can easily enjoy dining and shopping, promoting the destination to a wide range of age groups. Meanwhile, there are concerns that demand for overseas travel may slow due to factors such as soaring fuel surcharges—driven in part by the situation in the Middle East—and increases in departure taxes. Mr. Jeong, Director of the Korea Tourism Organization’s Japan Regional Center and Head of the Tokyo Branch, stated, “It is precisely because of this environment that the convenience of being able to reach South Korea in just two to three hours from Japan—enough time to enjoy a weekend getaway—and the price appeal given the current exchange rate conditions really come into play,” expressing strong confidence that travel to South Korea can provide high satisfaction and great value.
© Source travel watch