S.Korea's Lotte Department Store launches 'K-Beauty' tour service

South Korea's Lotte Department Store on Monday announced the launch of a "K-Beauty tour" service for foreign tourists.

The company will first give free beauty pouches to foreign visitors to allow them to try a range of items from domestic brands.

Each pouch contains large samples of carefully selected travel products like those for cleansing, body and skin care, and makeup from 12 top domestic brands. Lotte said the samples are worth over 150,000 won ($115) based on the prices of regular products sold on the market.

An exclusive coupon is downloadable from the related event screen of Lotte's main store in Seoul or the Visit Korea Committee website. A foreign visitor simply shows it at the value-added tax refund desk on the store's first floor to receive a pouch, with this promotion on a first-come, first-served basis through year's end.

Classes on domestic cosmetics and beauty will also cover Korean culture along with the latest trends, and beauty salons will offer makeup tips and know-how from experts.

The K-Beauty tour service starts this month at Lotte's main store in Seoul and will eventually expand to the Jamsil (Seoul) and Busan branches.

As the number of foreign tourists surge amid the end of most COVID-19 restrictions, global interest in Korean cosmetics and beauty are gradually rising.

Lotte said purchases of beauty products by foreign tourists from January to July this year jumped 500% from the same period last year.

"We will continue expanding related services and benefits so that Lotte Department Store's beauty stores turn into must-visit destinations for foreign tourists," said Kim Ji-soo, director of the company's beauty and accessories department.

Write to Hun-Hyoung Ha at hhh@hankyung.com