Foreign Visitors to Seoul Tourism Information Center Increase Eightfold Compared to Previous Year

Revival of Seoul Tourism Market Hit by COVID-19
English-speaking Visitors Top at 42%
Malaysia & Indonesia 23%, Japan 8%, Greater China 7%

A foreign participant is experiencing jar candle making at Seoul Tourism Plaza.
[Photo by Seoul Tourism Foundation]

The number of foreign tourists visiting Seoul this year has increased eightfold compared to the previous year, bringing a breath of fresh air to the tourism market, which had been stagnant since COVID-19.

According to the Seoul Tourism Foundation on the 20th, the cumulative number of foreign visitors to the Seoul Tourism Information Centers until November this year was recorded at 492,767. This is more than eight times the number of foreign visitors (57,077) who visited during the same period last year. Tourism information centers located in Gangnam, Myeongdong, Jongno, Songpa, Seocho, and Mapo provide guide maps and various promotional materials about major tourist attractions in Seoul, attracting many foreign tourists. The number of visitors can be used to gauge the recovery of the tourism market.

When foreign tourists are classified by nationality, visitors from English-speaking countries accounted for the largest share at 42%. This was followed by Malaysia and Indonesia (22.71%), Japan (8%), and Greater China (7%).

The tourism information center with the highest proportion of foreign visitors was the Myeongdong Tourism Information Center, which had a total of 12,801 foreign visitors. Including domestic visitors, the total number of visitors to this center was 15,747, with 81% being foreigners. In the same period last year, the proportion of foreigners at the Myeongdong Tourism Information Center was only 30%. The Seoul Tourism Foundation analyzed that "the Myeongdong tourism market, which had been stagnant due to the COVID-19 pandemic, is regaining vitality."

Visitor Increase and Decrease Rates at Tourist Information Centers from 2021 to 2022 [Data Provided by Seoul Tourism Organization]

The total number of visitors to the Seoul Tourism Information Centers, including both domestic and foreign visitors, reached 1,979,209 until November this year, which is 2.5 times higher than the 799,658 visitors during the same period last year.

As the number of visitors increases, the tourism information centers are expanding convenience services such as experience programs. Since August, the Seoul Tourism Plaza Tourism Information Center has been operating programs that allow visitors to experience traditional Korean culture, such as making norigae (traditional Korean ornaments), rice cake soap, and Korean calligraphy. In addition, facilities such as coin exchange booths and PET bottle collection bins (at the Tourism Plaza Tourism Information Center, Myeongdong Tourism Information Center, and Hongdae Entrance Tourist Information Center), as well as coin lockers (at the Myeongdong Tourism Information Center), have been installed to enhance convenience services.

Kim Ji-hyun, head of the Tourism Plaza team at the Seoul Tourism Foundation, said, "Although the number of foreign tourists, which had slowed down after COVID-19, is increasing, we will still thoroughly manage safety and hygiene at the tourism information centers as confirmed cases continue to rise. We will also take the lead in revitalizing Seoul tourism next year, when tourism is expected to fully recover, by providing more diverse programs and attractions at the tourism information centers, which serve as the contact points for Seoul tourism."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.