Foreign tourists’ spending in South Korea increased significantly during the first half of 2026, driven primarily by a resurgence of Chinese visitors and a notable expansion in medical tourism, according to data released by BC Card on August 3.

Analysis of transactions from approximately 3.3 million foreign-issued credit cards revealed a 53.6 percent rise in total spending compared to the same period last year, alongside a 40.3 percent increase in transaction volume. While BC Card did not disclose the absolute spending figures, a separate report from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism estimated that foreign visitors spent 10.04 trillion won (approximately S$9 billion) in the first six months of 2026, marking a 50.8 percent increase from the first half of 2025.

The number of cards used by Chinese tourists, South Korea’s largest inbound market, surged 56.6 percent year-on-year, followed by growth in card usage from Singapore (46.8 percent), Taiwan (44.3 percent), and Japan (40.1 percent). Spending by Chinese visitors increased even more sharply, jumping 82.7 percent over the same timeframe. BC Card attributed the overall spending growth largely to the recovery of Chinese tourism.

The spending increase was not confined to Seoul’s traditional tourist districts. Although Seoul remained the primary destination for foreign expenditure, areas outside major hotspots such as Myeongdong also saw rising activity. Payments in other popular destinations, including Busan and Jeju Island, grew 57.9 percent and 63.7 percent respectively.

Medical tourism emerged as the fastest-growing sector, with foreign tourists’ card spending on medical services nearly doubling—rising 98 percent year-on-year. This outpaced other key categories such as clothing, which saw a 56.3 percent increase. Most medical-related spending was concentrated in Seoul, which accounted for 92.8 percent of the total.

Within Seoul, the Gangnam district held the largest share of medical spending by foreign visitors at 39.8 percent, although this represented a decline of 10.4 percentage points from the first half of 2025. By contrast, the Seocho district’s share increased by 6.7 points to 27.6 percent, and the Jung district’s rose 3.4 points to 7.5 percent.

Spending patterns within medical tourism shifted as well. Dermatology services accounted for 67.5 percent of foreign visitors’ medical expenditures, surpassing plastic surgery, which constituted 21.3 percent. This marks a reversal from the first half of 2024, when plastic surgery represented nearly half (46.2 percent) of medical spending, compared to 32.6 percent for dermatology. Dermatology spending rose by 109.8 percent, while plastic surgery spending grew 35.5 percent relative to 2025.

Pharmacy purchases by foreign tourists saw a remarkable increase, soaring 1,176.9 percent year-on-year. Although pharmacies accounted for only 2 percent of medical spending in 2026, up from 0.3 percent in the first half of 2025, the rapid growth reflects emerging trends within medical tourism.

BC Card highlighted that a new tourism ecosystem appears to be developing, linking medical services with shopping experiences. The company projected that medical tourism would become a key growth driver for South Korea’s inbound tourism sector moving forward.