South Korea continues to shine as a favorite shopping destination for travelers, and Seoul is optimistic about strong momentum through the rest of the year.
The number of foreign visitors to Seoul rose by more than 20% in the first half of this year compared to the same period last year, according to Yonhap (Monday, August 24, 2026).
This rise came alongside a surge in credit card spending of more than 50%, according to data released by the city government on Wednesday.
Seoul attracted 8.23 million foreign tourists during the January-June period, up 21.3% from the first half of last year, the city government said. This growth was matched by a corresponding jump in credit card spending, which surged 56.8% to reach 5.62 trillion won (roughly Rp 71 trillion).
Record Numbers on Both Fronts
Both the number of foreign visitors and their spending reached all-time highs for a first-half period, according to city government officials.
“With spending growth far outpacing the rise in visitor numbers, Seoul’s tourism sector appears to be moving beyond a simple recovery in visitor volume and entering a new growth phase, driven by longer stays and higher consumption,” an official said.
Shopping and Medical Tourism Lead the Way
The city government said the shopping sector accounted for the largest share of foreign visitors’ credit card spending, at 46.4%. The second-largest spending category was medical and health tourism, at 24.4%.
Foreign tourist spending at Seoul’s major shopping centers surged 73.2%, rising from 706.3 billion won to 1.22 trillion won. Spending on medical tourism rose 63.3%, climbing from 556.3 billion won to 908.4 billion won, while spending on food and beauty products increased 54.5% and 40%, respectively.
Expanding Nightlife Tourism
The city government plans to expand nighttime tourism offerings in the second half of this year. The goal is to help foreign tourists enjoy Seoul not just during the day, but also in the evening and at night. This strategy also aims to revitalize the culinary, shopping, cultural, and content scene around the city’s major tourist attractions.
