"Much Cheaper Now": South Korea Emerges as a 'Value-for-Money' Travel Destination

When it comes to travel, value for money is essential.

For foreign tourists, South Korea is rapidly emerging as a destination that offers great value.

Let’s take a look at why this is happening.

First, let’s look at the number of tourists in the first quarter of this year.

It reached 4.743 million.

This is a 22.6% increase compared to the previous year.

It is the highest record ever for a first quarter.

The biggest factor behind this influx of tourists is the weakness of the Korean won.

As of yesterday, the won-dollar exchange rate was in the 1,520 won range, marking the lowest value of the Korean currency in 17 years since the global financial crisis.

From the perspective of foreign visitors, this means that the costs of accommodation, dining, and shopping in Korea have all decreased.

On top of this, the effect of K-content, such as the comeback performances of BTS, is further driving the trend of increased visits to Korea.

The scale of consumption has also grown.

According to an analysis of foreign credit card payment data from 2018 to 2025 by the Korea Tourism Organization, the total spending per person increased by 83%, and the number of purchases rose by 124%.

While the average spending per transaction has decreased, it can be interpreted that travel patterns have shifted toward purchasing a wider variety of items more frequently.

Analysts suggest that the scope of consumption is broadening, ranging from mid-to-low-priced beauty products and food to department store items and luxury goods.
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.