▲ The rise in cruise tourism has added to the rise in tourist numbers Photo courtesy

The number of visitors to Jeju Island has already exceeded 14 million and will likely reach 15 million by the end of the year.

The 14 million mark was reached on Nov 13 and that was a 17.4 percent increase on the same period last year, according to Jeju Tourism Association.

Foreign tourists numbered 3.2 million, up 40 percent, and domestic visitors were also up slightly more modestly at 12 percent.

Around 30-50,000 visitors are coming to the island everyday so industry insiders say that the 15 million mark will be reached comfortably before the end of the year.

This benchmark follows the news that Jeju has also already broke the one million mark for cruise tourists in 2016.