Thai Arrivals in South Korea Increase 20 Percent in First Five Months of 2026

Brickinfo News Agency – The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Krungthai Card Public Company Limited (KTC), and Thai Airways International Public Company Limited have expanded their partnership to boost travel from Thailand to South Korea in the second half of 2026. The joint initiative introduces promotional programs and privileges across air travel, beauty, wellness, shopping, dining, and lifestyle sectors to accommodate changing Thai consumer preferences.

According to KTO data, South Korea recorded 333,930 Thai visitors in 2025. In the first five months of 2026, the number of Thai arrivals grew by 20% compared to the same period in the previous year. Following this upward trend, the KTO has set a target to attract 410,000 Thai tourists by the end of 2026.

Data from KTC credit card spending between January 1 and June 30, 2026, indicated that South Korea ranked as the second-highest overseas destination for total card expenditure. Transaction values increased by 40% year-on-year, while the number of KTC cardmembers making transactions in South Korea grew by 45%. The spending spanned transportation, beauty, wellness, retail, and dining sectors.

"Thailand remains a key source market for South Korea within ASEAN," stated Park Sunghyeuck, President of the Korea Tourism Organization. "Thai travelers are increasingly exploring varied aspects of Korean culture, cuisine, and emerging regional destinations. This collaboration helps facilitate access and offers relevant benefits to encourage travel beyond traditional locations." Park added that KTO's 2026 promotional strategy focuses on themed experiences, including wellness tourism, sports tourism, pet-friendly travel, and regional exploration.

Pittaya Vorapanyasakul, President and Chief Executive Officer of KTC, noted that South Korea maintains strong popularity among Thai consumers for travel and lifestyle activities. "Our transactional data confirms consistent engagement across multiple categories during trips. This partnership connects traveler requirements with targeted privileges from flight bookings to on-site expenditures in South Korea," Vorapanyasakul said.

Thamanoon Kuprasert, Head of Sales Agencies and Global Corporate Account and Acting Director of Sales at Thai Airways International, confirmed that South Korea remains a primary international destination for the airline, serving leisure travelers, families, and cultural tourists. "For the second half of 2026, Thai Airways and KTC are providing specific routing benefits to improve value for passengers," Kuprasert stated.

The joint campaign includes a 2,000 THB discount per seat on eligible round-trip Thai Airways flights to South Korea when booked using a specific promotional code and a KTC credit card between August 1 and December 10, 2026. Additional offers include beauty promotions via the UNNI Korea Aesthetic Clinic platform, retail incentives at Lotte Duty Free Korea, and targeted dining cashback options.