Foreign delivery applications are experiencing a boom, fueled by a rise in foreign tourists and an increase in individual travel (FIT) rather than group tours.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and industry sources, the number of foreign tourists visiting South Korea surpassed 10 million in the first half of this year. This milestone was reached about a month earlier than last year, when the 10 million mark was crossed in mid-July. In May, 1.95 million foreign tourists visited South Korea, a 19.4% increase compared to the same period last year. The cumulative number of visitors from January to May reached 8.72 million, up 21% from the previous year.
Spending by foreign tourists has also seen significant growth. As of May, the total domestic card spending by foreign tourists, including online purchases, reached approximately 2.1 trillion won, marking the first time monthly spending exceeded 2 trillion won since tracking began in January 2018.
Domestic delivery apps have benefited from this trend. The number and value of foreign orders on Baemin, operated by Woowa Brothers, have more than quadrupled over the past year. In the first half of this year, the number of food delivery orders made through overseas-issued credit cards and global payment services like WeChat Pay, Alipay, and Apple Pay increased by 331%, while the order value rose by 308% compared to the same period last year.
The most ordered item was chicken, which saw a 281% increase compared to the previous year. The late-night snack category experienced the highest growth rate at 520%.
The increase in delivery platform orders from foreign tourists is attributed to the growing popularity of individual travel. According to the Korea Tourism Organization's survey of foreign tourists, the proportion of individual travelers who freely plan their accommodations and itineraries reached 80.1% last year, while group tours, which follow a guide, accounted for only 11.5%.
Eased visa regulations have also contributed to the rise in orders. In April, as the peak spring tourism season began and measures to issue multiple-entry visas for Chinese tourists were implemented, Baemin reported a 22% increase in foreign orders compared to the previous month.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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