Visitor and Spending Growth

  • Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) reported 8.23 million international visitors to Seoul in H1 2026, a 21.3% increase.
  • International visitor card spending reached KRW 5,617.2 billion, up 56.8%.

Visitor Origins

  • China: 2.47 million visitors
  • Japan: 1.5 million visitors
  • Taiwan: 880,000 visitors
  • United States: 620,000 visitors

Spending by Category

  • Shopping accounted for 46.4% of spending.
  • Medical and wellness services accounted for 24.4% of spending.
  • Combined, shopping and medical/wellness made up 70.8% of spending.
  • Food and beverage accounted for 13.1% of spending.
  • Accommodation accounted for 10.7% of spending.
  • Large shopping mall spending rose 73.2%, from KRW 706.3 billion to KRW 1.22 trillion.
  • Medical tourism spending rose 63.3%, from KRW 556.3 billion to KRW 908.4 billion.
  • Dining spending rose 54.5%, from KRW 378.2 billion to KRW 584.3 billion.
  • Beauty spending rose 40%, from KRW 331.1 billion to KRW 463.7 billion.

Spending by District

  • Gangnam-gu accounted for 29.3% of spending.
  • Jung-gu accounted for 28.4% of spending.
  • Mapo-gu accounted for 7.3% of spending.
  • The top three districts combined accounted for 65.0% of spending.

Festivals and Riverside Attractions

  • The Seoul Spring Festival 2026 drew 7.06 million attendees, including 1.17 million international visitors.
  • Hangang bus pier sales grew 257%.
  • Five Hangang drone light shows drew approximately 125,000 attendees.

Airport Shuttle Service

  • The Seouldal airport shuttle, launched in August 2024, surpassed 100,000 cumulative passengers as of May 1, 2026.
  • The share of international passengers using Seouldal rose from 40.2% to 43.6%.

Medical Tourism Support

  • SMG currently has 108 medical tourism interpreter coordinators, with a target of 1,000.
  • SMG plans a one-stop arrival and departure platform connecting medical services, visas, accommodations, and tourism.

Other Initiatives

  • SMG plans to expand nighttime tourism along the Hangang River and throughout downtown Seoul.
  • The "Explore Seoul with Connections" program involved 11 participating countries and 620 B2B meetings.
  • Online spending by international visitors totaled KRW 418.6 billion in June and KRW 2,186.8 billion cumulatively for H1 2026.