"Much Cheaper Now": South Korea Emerges as a 'Cost-Effective' Travel Destination

Cost-effectiveness is a crucial factor when it comes to travel.

For foreigners, South Korea is rapidly emerging as a cost-effective travel destination.

Let’s take a look at why.

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

It is 4.743 million.

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

It is the highest record ever for the first quarter.

The weak Korean won is considered the biggest reason for this influx of tourists.

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

From the perspective of foreigners, 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 performance of JIN (BTS), is contributing to the trend of increasing 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 consumption amount per person increased by 83%, and the number of purchases rose by 124%.

Although the average spending per transaction has decreased, it can be interpreted that the pattern has shifted toward purchasing a wider variety of items multiple times.

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