South Korea's tourism industry posted net losses through August this year, data showed Sunday, due mainly to the decline of visitors after the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.

According to the data compiled by the Korea Culture & Tourism Institute, South Korea raked in $10 billion through the tourism industry over the January-August period, down 11.2 percent from a year earlier.

The figure compares to the country's expenditure in the segment which came to $14 billion, up 6.6 percent over the cited period.

The losses from the first eight months of 2015 hover above the annual record $3.9 billion deficit posted in 2010.

Industry watchers said the decline came as the outbreak of MERS made the country a less attractive tourism destination for foreigners, while more South Koreans traveled overseas.

The combined number of foreign tourists came to 8.37 million in the January-August period, down 11.2 percent on-year.

The number of South Koreans traveling overseas, meanwhile, reached an all-time high of 11.6 million, up 19.3 percent from the previous year. (Yonhap)