Foreign tourists’ spending in S. Korea surges with medical travel boom

Foreign tourists spent considerably more in South Korea during the first half of 2026, with total spending rising 53.6% from the same period in 2025, according to an analysis of credit card transactions by BC Card. The number of transactions also saw a substantial increase of 40.3%.

“

The recovery in the number of Chinese visitors, Korea’s largest inbound tourism market, drove the overall rise in consumption.

A key driver of this growth was the strong return of Chinese visitors, who represent South Korea's largest inbound tourism market. Their spending surged by 82.7% on-year. Visitors from Singapore, Taiwan, and Japan also contributed to the rise, with spending increases of 46.8%, 44.3%, and 40.1%, respectively.

Medical tourism emerged as a significant growth engine, with foreign visitors' spending on medical services nearly doubling, increasing by 98%. This sector saw the fastest growth among major categories, outpacing even clothing, where spending rose 56.3%. While Seoul remains the primary destination for medical tourism, accounting for 92.8% of the total, spending in other regions like Busan and Jeju Island also saw robust growth of 57.9% and 63.7%, respectively.

“

A new tourism ecosystem linking medical services and shopping appears to be taking shape.

Within medical tourism, dermatology services experienced a remarkable surge, with spending increasing by 109.8%. This marks a shift from previous trends, as dermatology spending now surpasses that of plastic surgery, which grew by 35.5%. Pharmacy spending also saw an extraordinary increase of 1,176.9%. This evolving landscape suggests a developing tourism ecosystem that integrates medical services with shopping, positioning medical tourism as a vital new contributor to South Korea's inbound tourism sector.

“

Medical tourism is expected to emerge as a new growth engine for inbound tourism.