South Korea foreign tourist spending surges

In the first half of 2026, foreign tourist spending in South Korea surged, driven by a rebound in Chinese visitors and rapid growth in medical tourism. According to BC Card, total card spending by foreign visitors rose 53.6% year-on-year, with transaction numbers up 40.3%. Chinese visitors led the growth, with card usage up 56.6% and spending jumping 82.7%. Medical services spending nearly doubled, rising 98%, the fastest among major sectors, with dermatology accounting for 67.5% of medical spending and plastic surgery 21.3%. Pharmacy spending soared 1,176.9%. South Korea — Seoul accounted for 92.8% of medical spending, with South Korea — Gangnam District leading at 39.8%. The South Korea — Ministry of Culture and Sport estimated total foreign spending at 10.04 trillion won ($7 billion), up 50.8% from 2025. Spending also spread to regional destinations like South Korea — Busan and South Korea — Jeju Island.