Korea's Convenience Stores Become a Travel Destination: Foreign Card Payments Jump Up to 78%

Korean convenience stores are becoming a must-visit stop for inbound travelers. According to a July report by Dailian, foreign card payments at CU rose 65.7% in the first half of this year, GS25's foreign payment service sales grew 78%, and 7-Eleven's sales to foreigners increased 1.5-fold. At tourist-area stores, foreigners accounted for up to 70% of customers at a GS25 branch in Insadong and 52% at CU's Myeongdong Station branch.

Popular items include banana milk, instant noodles, snacks and trending desserts. The industry sees convenience store visits as more than shopping - 'a form of tourism content where visitors experience products and culture found only in Korea' (Dailian). With inbound arrivals topping 10.7 million in the first half of the year, convenience stores have become the closest window into Koreans' everyday life.