The number of Chinese tourists who visited South Korea reached a record high last year, when some 4.32 million trips were made to the ever-popular destination on the Korean Peninsula.

Chinese tourists are playing an increasingly significant role for the tourism market in South Korea, accounting for 35.5 percent of the country's inbound tourism market last year, according to the China Tourism Academy.

The number of Chinese tourists heading to South Korea this year is expected to further increase, considering that more travelers are deterred from traveling to traditionally popular destinations such as Malaysia and Vietnam.