Jeju draws record 13.59 million domestic tourists for 2022

A record-breaking 13.59 million South Koreans visited Jeju island this year amid the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the Jeju Tourism Association (JTA).

The number of domestic tourists surpassed the previous record of 13.56 million set in 2019.

The southern resort island hosted a total of 3.68 million travelers from South Korea and abroad between January 1 and December 25, surging 16 percent from the same period last year.

The JTA said domestic tourists on individual or package tours and students on field trips flew into Jeju after the lifting of social distancing rules earlier this year.

However, the pandemic drove away travelers from abroad.

The annual number of domestic tourists to Jeju surpassed the 10 million mark for the first time in 2015.

The figure has gradually risen to 13.56 million in 2019 before dropping below the 12-million level in 2021 due to the pandemic.

The tourism industry in Jeju predicted the final 2022 tally to reach 13.8 million by the end of the year, including 13.7 million domestic visitors.