Foreign Tourists in Every Alley... Global Search Volume for Travel Destination 'Seoul' Soars

Ranked 4th Most Popular Travel Destination Worldwide
Increased Interest in Korea Among Taiwan and Hong Kong Travelers Compared to Last Year

A survey revealed that the travel destination 'Seoul' ranked fourth in the world in terms of search volume.

On the 14th, global online travel agency (OTA) Booking.com announced that, based on an analysis of global reservation search big data for stays from July 1 to August 31, Seoul ranked 4th in the list of countries with the highest increase in search volume compared to the previous year.

Japanese cities took the top three spots, followed by Saranda (Albania), Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore (Singapore), Vienna (Austria), and Prague (Czech Republic).

Seoul saw a significant 169% increase in search volume compared to the same period last year, making it a travel destination that attracts even more attention from travelers worldwide this year.
[Photo by Pixabay]

Seoul saw a 169% increase in search volume compared to the same period last year, making it a more popular travel destination among global travelers this year. The rise of Asian cities was notable, with seven out of the top ten destinations being in Asia, including Seoul.

The top overseas travel destinations most searched by Korean travelers included Tokyo (Japan), Paris (France), Osaka (Japan), Da Nang (Vietnam), Singapore (Singapore), Bangkok (Thailand), Fukuoka (Japan), London (United Kingdom), Rome (Italy), and Sapporo (Japan), all ranking within the top 10.

Preferences remain high for relatively nearby destinations such as Japan and Southeast Asia, with the popularity of travel to Japan continuing since last year. Searches for four Japanese destinations increased by more than 2000% compared to the previous year, indicating that Korean travelers’ preference for Japan is expected to continue this summer.

In response to its popularity in Korea, the number of Japanese travelers visiting Korea this summer is also expected to increase.

Among the top 10 destinations most searched by Japanese travelers, most are cities within Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, and Kyoto, with Seoul being the only overseas destination ranked 7th, drawing attention.

Among the top 10 travel destinations most searched by Japanese tourists, most are cities within Japan such as Tokyo, Osaka, Sapporo, and Kyoto. Seoul is the only overseas destination, ranking 7th, drawing attention.
[Photo source=Pixabay]

The search volume increased by approximately 187% compared to the previous year, far surpassing the increase in searches for Japanese destinations within the top 10.

Excluding Koreans, the nationalities of travelers searching for domestic (Korean) destinations were Japan, Taiwan, the United States, France, Hong Kong, Germany, Singapore, Australia, and Russia, in that order.

In particular, travelers from Taiwan and Hong Kong searched for Korean destinations 13,350% and 1,999% more than last year, respectively, showing a significant rise in interest in traveling to Korea. The analysis team explained that these countries are expected to become major source countries for visits to Korea this summer.

Kim Hyun-min, head of Booking.com Korea, said, "Since the endemic phase, there has been a growing demand for travel to Korea, which is widely recognized for its cultural value and high safety, as reflected in various indicators. Riding on this momentum, Booking.com plans to carry out diverse activities this year to generously showcase Korea’s charm to global tourists."

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