International travelers to Korea spent more last year, with the increase in consumption spreading outside the Seoul area, data showed Sunday.
This indicates that tourist spending is no longer limited to iconic landmarks in Seoul but rather becoming a growing part of the country’s regional economy.
According to Orange Square, the operator of the foreigner-only payment platform WowPass, it reached 1.97 million users in 2025, up 33 percent from 1.48 million the previous year.
This is far faster than the 15.7 percent increase in the number of inbound foreign tourists.
Total transaction volume and number of payments also increased 29 percent and 26 percent, respectively.
Average spending per visitor remained stable, meaning more tourists are making frequent small-scale transactions rather than occasional high-value purchases.
Seoul, which accounted for 89 percent of transactions in 2023, saw its share drop to 83 percent last year, while 17 percent took place in regions outside the capital, up from 11 percent.
Restaurants, cosmetics and clothing were among the most popular spending categories, while medical, beauty and accessory-focused spending is increasing.
Notably, Korean restaurants (22 percent) and coffee shops (15 percent) ranked as the top locations for transactions.
First-time tourists focused on visiting the most popular sites, while repeat visitors shifted to lifestyle-based spending, the data showed.
Source: Korea Times News
