Foreign Tourists to Gyeongbuk Surge 26.4% in Q2 Compared to Last Year, While Domestic Visitors Decline 2.9%

Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Organization Analysis

According to the "2026 Q2 Tourism Statistics Analysis" released by the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Organization on August 12, the number of foreign visitors to Gyeongbuk during this period surged by 26.4 percent, rising from approximately 1.62 million in the same period last year to 2.05 million. In contrast, the number of domestic visitors declined slightly by 2.9 percent, from 46.42 million last year to 45.09 million this year.

Total tourism expenditure increased by 16 percent from approximately 1.3336 trillion won in the same period last year to about 1.5488 trillion won this year, driven by the expansion of stay-type accommodation and food and beverage spending. This growth is attributed to several factors, including the enhanced international profile following the Korea-Japan summit in Andong, the effect of last year’s APEC gathering and this year’s PATA event, the opening of the Donghae Line railway, and the introduction of visa-free group tourism programs for Chinese tourists.

Filming Location of the Movie 'The King and the Living Man' - Mungyeong Saejae Set Site

Navigation and mobile communication data analysis indicated that the most striking increases in visitor numbers compared to the previous year were seen in Mungyeong, Gyeongju, and Andong. Andong, spotlighted as the host city of the Korea-Japan summit, attracted great interest with regionally unique cultural content such as the "Seonyu Julbulnori" festival.

Mungyeong has continued to see a steady growth in visitor numbers since 2024, benefiting from the synergy of being the filming location for the movie "The King and the Living Man" and from local events such as the Mungyeong Chasabal Festival. Gyeongju also experienced a rise in visitors as seasonal demand, such as for double cherry blossoms, coincided with local festivals.

Changes were also observed in tourists' spending patterns: while consumption at major shopping malls declined, spending in accommodation and transportation sectors rose significantly.

In particular, the share of lodging-related spending, including "condominiums" and "hotels," increased compared to the same period last year. Additionally, media exposure helped boost consumption in the "bakery and beverage" sector, with local markets seeing a notable expansion in spending.

Social data analysis showed that "healing" was the main tourism theme for Gyeongbuk in the second quarter of this year. Notably, mentions of "campgrounds," referring to rest in nature, skyrocketed by 700 percent year-on-year, while preferences for "slow travel" and "family travel," which prioritize a leisurely itinerary, also increased markedly.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.