Foreigners' card spending in Seoul jumps nearly 58% to $6.57 bil.
Foreign visitors' card spending in Seoul jumped nearly 58 percent from a year earlier in the first nine months of 2026, driven by a record number of visitors, city government data showed Tuesday. Foreigners spent 8.84 trillion won ($6.57 billion) using credit and debit cards in Seoul from January to September, up 57.7 percent from the same period last year, according to the data. The figure has…
Visitors to Seoul spent nearly 58% more on credit and debit cards in the first nine months of 2026 compared to the same period a year earlier, according to city government data released on Tuesday. The total amount spent by foreigners using cards reached 8.84 trillion won, or $6.57 billion, marking a 57.7% increase from the same time last year.
Shopping led the spending categories, accounting for 46% of the total, followed by medical and wellness services at 23.8%, food and beverages at 13.3%, and accommodation at 10.4%. By district, Gangnam Ward contributed the most with 29.6% of the total, followed by Jung Ward at 27.7% and Mapo Ward at 7.1%. Spending expanded in several other areas, including Gangdong, Guro, Dongdaemun, and Seongdong wards.
Foreign tourists also boosted their spending at 10 major tourist spots, including Myeongdong, Gangnam, and Seongsu, with a 57.2% increase on-year, contributing to a total of 5.32 trillion won.
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