As foreign tourists once concentrated in Seoul's major attractions increasingly venture into Korea's provinces, the convenience store industry is enjoying a "foreign tourist boom." A store network built across the country like capillaries is absorbing spending by foreign visitors. In response, the industry is accelerating its competition to attract customers by expanding tourism-focused stores and offering products and services tailored to foreign visitors.
According to the Korea Tourism Organization's DataLab, foreign spending in Jeju Special Self-Governing Province rose 111% year-on-year in the first half of this year, the highest growth rate among all regions. Sejong Special Self-Governing City also grew 111%, while North Chungcheong Province rose 63%, Busan 63%, and Gangwon Province 49%. Given that Seoul's foreign spending growth in the first half was 56%, the map of foreign tourist spending is spreading from a Seoul-centered pattern to regions across the country.
As a result, convenience stores with nationwide store networks are emerging as a representative beneficiary sector. Foreign payment amounts at convenience stores are also rising sharply. CU's growth in foreign payment amounts in the first half, averaged across nationwide stores, was 86% year-on-year. GS25 posted 60%, while Seven-Eleven and Emart24 recorded 50% and 72%, respectively.
By region, the growth in foreign sales was especially pronounced at convenience stores located at major provincial tourist destinations. In Gyeongju, a representative tourist destination, CU's foreign payment amount rose 73% from a year earlier. GS25 and Seven-Eleven also increased 149% and 129%, respectively, while Emart24 reached 283%. In Jeonju, as foreign tourists visiting the Hanok Village, Jeondong Cathedral, and Jaman Mural Village increased sharply, all four convenience store chains recorded triple-digit growth in foreign payment amounts from a year earlier.
The nationalities of foreign customers using convenience stores have also diversified from a past focus on Greater China to the United States, Canada, Japan, and the United Kingdom. These customers mainly purchased leading Korean foods such as banana-flavored milk, strawberry-flavored milk, Melona, and Buldak stir-fried noodles, along with ramen, snacks, and beverages. The assessment is that convenience stores have gone beyond being merely places to buy daily necessities during travel, establishing themselves as tourism courses where visitors can experience K-content, including K-food, anytime and anywhere.
Accordingly, the convenience store industry is also expanding tourism-focused stores centered on outlets frequented by foreign tourists and significantly increasing its souvenir and K-food product lines. CU's "tourism product specialty stores" surpassed 500 as of July this year. CU has expanded its specialty stores starting with its Incheon Airport branch in 2021, centered on areas frequented by foreign tourists such as Myeongdong, Hongdae, Itaewon, Jeju, Busan, and Gyeongju. In the first half of this year, sales in CU's tourism product category rose 50.7% year-on-year.
GS25 is increasing its "K-Station" specialty displays, centered on stores with a high proportion of foreign tourist visits. Since first introducing them in August 2024, it currently operates them at about 80 stores and plans to add about 20 in the second half to operate 100 within the year. The number of K-souvenir items, such as keychains and magnets, was also increased to about 100 this year. Seven-Eleven has likewise expanded its tourism product specialty stores since April last year in line with the growth in foreign tourists, currently securing about 70 stores nationwide.
"Convenience stores are pursuing a strategy of drawing store visits with foods popular among foreigners, such as sikhye, laver, and banana-flavored milk, and then leading them to souvenir purchases," an industry official said. "In particular, they are highlighting as a competitive edge the ability to conveniently purchase souvenirs near accommodations or tourist sites."
