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- The number of inbound visitors posted a continued increase on the back of an increase in the number of Japanese tourists, Southeast Asians and Europeans

- The number of outbound Koreans showed a drastic decrease (the most conspicuous monthly decrease of the year) due to the impact of the economic recession and the weakness of the local currency

       - The number of inbound visitors in September: 587,853 (a 5.4% y-o-y increase)

      - The number of outbound Koreans in September: 818,747 (a 19.4% y-o-y decrease)

  ○ The number of Japanese visitors turned around to record an increase on the back of the strength of the Japanese Yen against the local currency, the avoidance of China as a travel destination due to the occurrence of unfavorable incidents in China and preference of a destination within a short distance due to the difficult economic situation.

○ The number of Chinese visitors recorded a continued increase on the resumption of overseas travel for those who stayed within the country for the Olympic Games, the consecutive holidays at the end of September and the unsuitability of Thailand as a travel destination due to the unstable political situation.

  ○ By gender, the growth in the number of inbound females (8.8%) outdid that of males (4.8%). By age groups, the growth in the number of those age 60 and over (16.9%) topped the list, followed by teenagers (7.9%), those in their 20s (11.3%), those in their 30s (5.0%), those in their 40s (2.5%), and those in their 50s (1.6%).

○ The number of outbound Koreans posted the most conspicuous monthly decrease of 19.4% in the post-financial crisis, apparently due to the impact of the recession and the weakness of the local currency.