This Year's Seoul Tourism Trends... Just Know RENEWAL and You're Done

Seoul Light DDP 2023 Scene
[Photo by Seoul City]

The Seoul Tourism Foundation (CEO Gil Gi-yeon) announced the tourism trends for Seoul in 2024 in line with the full-scale resumption of tourism and technological changes. By analyzing research data related to tourism and MICE in Seoul and conducting expert surveys, the keyword derived is ‘RENEWAL.’ It signifies the renewed tourism content and the 2024 Seoul tourism led by technological changes in response to the full-scale reopening of tourism.

Breaking down the keyword, first, R stands for travel with technology (Renovation & Technology). This trend incorporates technology from travel planning to completion, including itinerary recommendations and reservations. The tourism industry is providing travel itinerary recommendation services integrated with generative artificial intelligence (AI), and this year, Seoul City and the Seoul Tourism Foundation plan to offer a chatbot service using generative AI on the ‘Visit Seoul’ website.

Various shops line Yongridan-gil. [Photo by Seoul Tourism Foundation].jpg

E represents ESG (Environment, Social, Governance) travel that everyone can enjoy together. It means travel that everyone can enjoy without discrimination, not only environmentally but socially as well. Since 2019, Seoul City and the Seoul Tourism Foundation have operated the Danurim tourism service for all and have supported information on barrier-free tourist sites and the rental of vehicles and devices to improve accessibility.

N stands for networking travel. It refers to the trend of mutual connection and sharing among tourists due to advances in technology such as smartphones and artificial intelligence. Travelers in the ‘hyper-connected era’ actively share travel information and experiences, create communities that suit their preferences, and track information to strengthen mutual connections. The number of tourists utilizing workations?a new form of travel combining work and vacation?will increase by using advanced smart technologies such as remote and telecommuting. Connectivity between cities will also be strengthened through tourists who can freely move between cities. In 2024, Seoul will pilot a digital nomad (workation) visa. Accordingly, connectivity between cities is expected to strengthen, centered on tourists visiting Seoul.

E also stands for travel combined with culture (Entertourment). This trend refers to travel linked with watching performances and concerts and experiencing Hallyu culture. The demand for performances and concerts, which was suppressed during the pandemic, is expected to explode, increasing the number of travelers who travel specifically to attend performances by famous artists. The domestic tourism industry is offering packages centered on K-culture by linking cultural performances such as musicals and concerts with domestic accommodations, and the scale is expected to grow further in 2024. As travel recovers, demand for traveling to experience locations featured in hit dramas and movies on OTT platforms such as TV, Netflix, Disney+, and Apple TV+ is expected to increase.

W stands for travel that promotes physical and mental health (Wellness & Healing). In 2024, the demand for healing and wellness travel that satisfies individuals’ psychological and physical well-being amid social and environmental changes will increase. Additionally, self-realization travel that combines various hobbies and education with travel to discover the self will also increase.

Sunset viewed from Yongyangbong Reservoir Park
Photo by Seoul Tourism Foundation

A means diverse travel for anyone, anywhere, and anything. This year, various infrastructures and content that Seoul citizens and foreign tourists can enjoy will be introduced throughout Seoul. Content development with the Han River as a backdrop and the Seoul Urban Hiking Tourism Center located on major mountains in Seoul are representative examples. The nationalities of foreign tourists visiting Seoul will gradually diversify. With the full reopening of overseas travel in 2024, the proportion of Chinese tourists will decrease, while the proportion of tourists from Southeast Asia will gradually increase. In 2019, 70% of all inbound tourists visiting Seoul came from five countries centered on Chinese tourists, but in 2023, 70% of inbound tourists visiting Seoul come from eight countries including Japan, China, the United States, and Southeast Asian countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and the Philippines. This trend is expected to continue in 2024.

Seoul Light Lantern Festival Scenery
[Photo by Seoul Tourism Organization]

L stands for the polarity between luxury and cost-efficiency (Luxury & Cost-efficient). It refers to the phenomenon where cost-effective travel increases in an era of high prices and high efficiency, while luxury travel with high expenditures also appears simultaneously. New patterns can be observed in travel consumption this year. Cost-effective travel seeking low cost and high efficiency is increasing in the era of high prices, and at the same time, there is a phenomenon where travelers do not hesitate to spend on luxury travel for differentiated experiences that distinguish them from others. Selective luxury travel, a middle form between cost-effective and luxury travel, is also expected to increase. Travelers tend to pursue cost-effectiveness in overall travel consumption while seeking luxury in some areas such as hotels and dining, and this travel pattern is expected to steadily increase in 2024.

Gil Gi-yeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Foundation, said, “In line with Seoul City’s ‘3377 Seoul Tourism Future Vision’ to achieve 30 million inbound tourists, the Seoul Tourism Foundation also announced the Seoul tourism trend ‘RENEWAL.’ We will spare no effort to discover new tourism content in 2024 and actively reflect technological advancements to support Seoul’s leap to become a global top 5 city.”

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