Seoul:The number of foreign visitors to Seoul increased by about 22 percent in the first eight months of this year compared to the same period last year, with a significant rise in their credit card spending, according to data released by the city government.

According to Yonhap News Agency, Seoul welcomed a record 11.56 million foreign tourists from January to August, marking a 21.6 percent increase from the previous year. During this period, the credit card expenditure of these tourists surged by 59.9 percent to 7.78 trillion won (US$5.8 billion).

In August alone, 1.72 million foreigners visited the capital, an increase of 23.3 percent from 1.4 million in the same month the previous year. Visitors from China, Japan, and Taiwan made up 66.4 percent of the foreign tourists in August, with China leading at 636,000 visitors (36.9 percent), followed by Japan with 322,000 (18.6 percent), and Taiwan with 188,000 (10.9 percent).

The city government reported that the shopping sector accounted for the largest portion of foreign visitors' card spending at 46.6 percent. This was followed by spending in the medical and wellness sectors at 23.8 percent, food and beverage at 13.2 percent, and accommodation at 10.4 percent. Notably, spending by foreigners at large shopping malls in Seoul increased by 77.5 percent, while spending on medical tourism and dining rose by 64.2 percent and 59.5 percent, respectively.