Online sales of travel services surged in August over Covid-19 recovery

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South Korea has seen a remarkable surge in online shopping transactions, particularly in the travel and food sectors, on the back of a return to normal life following the Covid-19 pandemic. In August, online sales for travel-related products topped an impressive 2 trillion won ($1.47 billion), marking the highest amount ever recorded. Online shopping transactions for food and groceries also set a new record in terms of statistics.

Recent data released by Statistics Korea revealed that the total online shopping transactions in August amounted to 19.1 trillion won, a notable increase of 6.1 percent compared to the same period in 2022. The figure is the second largest since 2017 when the national statistic management body first began collecting data.

Several categories saw significant growth, including travel and transportation services as well as food and beverages. However, there was a noticeable decline in transactions related to automobiles and automotive supplies, which fell 26.6 percent.

Online shopping transactions for travel and transportation services hit 2.19 trillion won in August, the highest figure since 2017. Online sales for food and beverages also hit a record high at 2.64 trillion won. By product category, food and groceries accounted for 13.8 percent, followed closely by food services, including food delivery, at 12.4 percent and travel and transportation services at 11.5 percent.

Mobile shopping transactions in August totaled 14.1 trillion won, a year-on-year increase of 5.3 percent.