Number of travelers visiting Ulleungdo Island exceeds previous records

▲This photo, shows scenery of Ulleungdo Island. (Yonhap)

▲This photo, shows, traditional housing of Ulleungdo Island. (Yonhap)

▲This photo shows, Jukdo Island. (Yonhap)

▲This photo, shows, port in Ulleungdo Island. (Yonhap)

▲This photo, shows travelers leaving the boat on to Ulleungdo Island. (Yonhap)

SEOUL January 5 (Yonhap) -- Number of visitors to Ulleungdo Island has increase profoundly in 2022.

According to the Ulleungdo Island on Thrusday, the number of tourists who have visited Ulleungdo Island in 2022 was accumulated to be 461 thousand people, which showed increase in about 189 thousand visitors.

So far the number of visitors in Ulleungdo Island on 2022 has surpassed the prerecorded amount of visitors from pre COVID19 eras.

Number of visitors in Ulleungdo Island has recorded over 350 thousand people in 2011, later on it increased up to 375 thousand visitors in 2012 and it topped at 415 thousand people in 2013.

Due to the unfortunate Sewol Ferry Tragedy in 2014, the visitors to the island had chopped down to 267 thousand people in 2014, however it slowly rose back up since 2015 and record total of 386 thousand visitors in 2019.

However, due to COVID19, the number of visitors have decreased down to 176 thousand people in 2020, and later it increased back up to 271thousand visitors in 2021.

Following the trend in increased visitors in Ulleungdo Island, the number of visitors heading to Dokdo Island has also increased.

Number of people who have either set foot on the island or took a boat ride around Dokdo Island in 2022 has increased up to 283 thousand people, which is around about twice more visitors than the year 2021, where only 143 thousand people have visited the island.

Throughout the pre-COVID19 era, number of visitors for Dokdo island was recorded to have en 258thousand people in 2019, however it had decreased down to 89 thousand people in 2020.

According to the Ulleung Province, as the restrictions regarding COVID19 has been lifted and new way of transportations connecting between the land and the Island has played great role in increase of visitors.

“As the continuous mean of sea transportation is introduced, we will do our best to host more people throughout winter.” addressed official from Ulleung Province.

(This article is translated from Korean to English by Joonha Yoo)

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