The number of foreigners that visited South Korea during the first quarter rose 22 percent year-on-year to reach roughly two-and-a-half million.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that of total first quarter visitors, around 900-thousand were Japanese, 520-thousand Chinese and 150-thousand Americans.

The ministry said the rise in the number of foreign tourists stemmed from the spread of Korean culture as well as various campaigns aimed at foreigners, such as bargain sale events. The ministry also attributed the growth to a rise in South Korea’s status in the international community that resulted from the hosting of the G20 summit.

Meanwhile, the number of South Koreans that traveled abroad during the first quarter rose four-point-one percent year-on-year to stand at around three-point-four million.