SEOUL, June 01 (AJP) - Foreign visitors flocked to Seoul in record numbers in April and spent more than ever before, signaling that the city's tourism recovery is evolving into a broader consumer spending boom.
The number of overseas visitors to the capital reached 1.56 million in April, up 18.8 percent from a year earlier and the highest figure ever recorded for the month, according to data released by the Seoul Metropolitan Government on Sunday.
Foreign visitors spent a combined 1.1532 trillion won ($830 million) in Seoul in the same period, up 50.5 percent from a year earlier and the highest monthly total on record. It also marked the first time monthly foreign visitor spending in Seoul exceeded 1 trillion won.
The growth was driven partly by strong demand for shopping and medical tourism, two sectors in which South Korea has emerged as a leading destination in Asia.
Purchases at large retail complexes climbed 62.5 percent from a year earlier to 245.2 billion won, while medical tourism revenue rose 59.2 percent to 192.1 billion won.
Gangnam accounted for the largest share of foreign spending at 29.1 percent, followed by Jung-gu, which includes the Myeongdong shopping district in central Seoul at 27.5 percent, and Mapo District, known for the Hongdae area, Seoul's heart of fashion and trends, at 7.4 percent.
According to city officials, Myeongdong and Jamsil, a southern Seoul district where major shopping complexes are located, were the most popular shopping destinations, while the areas around Gangnam Station and Sinnonhyeon Station, famous for beauty and fashion stores, attracted large numbers of visitors seeking medical and cosmetic treatments.
Chinese visitors accounted for the largest share of arrivals, with 440,000 tourists visiting, followed by 230,000 Japanese, 150,000 Taiwanese and 130,000 Americans. The cumulative number of foreign visitors to Seoul reached 5.2 million during the first four months of the year.
Arrivals from China and Japan continued to strengthen in early May during Japan's Golden Week and China's Labor Day holidays. Between April 29 and May 6, 108,000 Chinese and 112,000 Japanese travelers visited South Korea, up 40.7 percent from a year earlier.
Foreign visitor spending in Seoul reached 437.6 billion won during the period. The trend also highlights a shift toward higher-value tourism, with visitors increasingly combining shopping, entertainment and healthcare services in a single trip.
To capitalize on the trend, Seoul plans to continue upgrading tourism content and visitor services. Kim Myung-joo, head of Seoul's Tourism and Sports Bureau, said the city aims to attract 30 million international visitors annually.
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