International cruise tourists visiting Yeosu give the local economy a major boost

【Financial News, Yeosu—Reporter Hwang Tae-jong】International cruise tourists visiting Yeosu have been giving the local economy a significant boost by shopping and dining. 
 In particular, Yeosu City has helped by improving overseas payment options so foreign tourists can pay anywhere in the old downtown area just as they would at home. 
 According to Yeosu City on the 26th, this year a total of about 49,000 international cruise tourists arrived at Yeosu Port on 18 calls. Chinese cruise ships accounted for 8 calls and about 36,000 tourists, or 74% of the total. The disembarkation rate was 85.5%, with about 26,000 people setting foot in Yeosu.
 The tourists mainly visited key attractions in Yeosu, including Odongdo, Jinnamgwan, the Fish Market, Yi Sun-sin Square and the marine cable car. Others took free shuttle buses to the old downtown area, spent time around Yi Sun-sin Square, and went shopping and dining. Yi Sun-sin Square has become a key hub for cruise tourism, appearing on all 18 group-tour itineraries this year.
 In addition, on Chinese cruise ship arrival days this year, 1,083 transactions totaling 47.52 million won were made through Alipay and WeChat Pay—the convenient payment services commonly used by Chinese tourists—at 39 businesses in the old downtown area. The average spending of 44,000 won per transaction is seen as having brought vitality to the area.
 A Yeosu City official emphasized, "Actual payment data confirms that the time cruise tourists spend in Yeosu translates directly into sales for local businesses."
 The most transactions were made at sports and outdoor clothing stores, while spending was also spread across a wide range of businesses, from restaurants serving dishes such as jokbal (braised pig's feet) and gukbap (rice soup) to shops selling local specialties such as strawberry mochi and yuja products, red ginseng stores and pharmacies. On the 5th, 263 transactions totaling 15.32 million won were made at 28 businesses in a single day, the highest figures recorded this year.
 These figures cover only Alipay and WeChat Pay transactions at businesses affiliated with the Jinnam Merchants Association, and Yeosu City believes the actual impact on spending is greater.
 A Yeosu City official explained, "The figures do not include cash and card payments at places frequently visited by tourists, such as convenience stores, OLIVE YOUNG, Daiso and the Fish Market in the old downtown area, or admission fees to tourist attractions." The official added, "Spending by tourists from Japan, the Americas and Taiwan, who mainly use cards and cash, was also left out of this tally."
 The official added, "Improving overseas payment options has had a major impact. Since late August, we have been pursuing the 'Global Payment Environment Development Project' so foreign tourists visiting Yeosu can pay anywhere in the old downtown area just as they would at home."
 Yeosu City has established payment facilities across all commercial areas frequently visited by cruise tourists, covering 1,117 businesses in total: 18 shops at the Yeosu Expo site and 1,099 businesses in the old downtown area, including 380 at Jinnam Shopping District, 222 around Seomarket, 140 at Seomarket, 120 at Gyodong Market, 100 at the Fish Market, 97 in the Jjongpo Shopping Arcade alley-style shopping district, and 40 at Yeosu Seafood Specialty Market.
 Going forward, Yeosu City plans to produce and install signs at each business that clearly show which payment apps are accepted, and to provide menus in multiple languages so visitors can choose what to order and pay even when they cannot communicate verbally.
 The city also plans to continue improving administrative support—including expanding the number of businesses accepting convenient payments, adding multilingual signs, providing better information about shopping and dining in the old downtown area, and operating free shuttle buses—to encourage cruise tourists to spend locally.
 A Yeosu City official said, "We will carefully improve our readiness to welcome visitors so they can walk, eat and shop more comfortably, and make cruise tourism a strong pillar of the local economy."

[email protected] Hwang Tae-jong Reporter