5월 외국인 관광 소비 2조 돌파…K-약국·캐릭터 굿즈 이끌어

South Korea's May inbound tourism spending surpassed 2 trillion won for the first time, marking a critical transition from post-pandemic recovery to data-driven market segmentation. The 67% year-over-year surge—driven by Chinese travelers and emerging consumption categories like K-pharmacy and character collectibles—reveals how retailers are leveraging consumer analytics to identify and capitalize on high-value micro-segments. This shift from aggregate tourism metrics to granular, region and sector-specific insights underscores the rising strategic importance of big data in shaping competitive advantage in tourism and retail.