Foreign tourists’ spending in South Korea rises sharply in the first half of the year, according to data from BC Card based on transactions made with about 3.3 million foreign-issued payment cards. BC Card reports that total spending increases 53.6% year-on-year. The rebound is attributed partly to a recovery in Chinese visitors and is further supported by rapid growth in medical travel.
BC Card identifies medical services as the fastest-growing category of foreign visitor spending, with spending on medical care nearly doubling, up 98% from a year earlier. The figures show that the growth extends beyond clinics focused on traditional cosmetic procedures. Demand expands to include areas such as dermatology, pharmacy purchases, and traditional Korean medicine.
The data also indicate that foreign spending is broadly rising in other sectors, including accommodation, health and beauty stores, and apparel. Medical tourism spending remains concentrated in Seoul, which accounts for 92.8% of all medical spending by foreign visitors across the country during the period.
