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Seoul bases 'touronomics' plan on visitors' growing preference for longer stays, consumption-based experiences

Published: 04 May. 2026, 07:00

Climbers take a photo at Mount Bukhan in northern Seoul. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

The area around Bukhansan Ui Station in Gangbuk District, northern Seoul, was bustling on Sunday with foreign visitors in short-sleeved shirts and backpacks.

Emma, an American visiting with two friends, had come for the mountain, drawn by the good weather and struck by how close the trails and valleys were to the city center.

Seoul's mountains and seasonal festivals are becoming one of the core attractions for tourists, as the growing preference for longer stays reshapes how they choose to experience the city.

Foreign travelers' interest in hiking in Seoul has risen sharply in recent months, as confirmed by the number of such visitors to three Seoul Hiking Tourism Centers — each located at Mount Bukhan, Mount Bugak and Mount Gwanak — where people can rent equipment, including hiking boots and trekking poles, and are provided with trail information and safety guidance.

A cumulative 5,603 foreigners accessed the centers from Jan. 1 through April 21, a 41.7 percent increase from 3,954 during the same period last year, the Seoul Metropolitan Government said on Monday.

People read books on a beanbag at Gwanghuamun Square in central Seoul on April 23. [NEWS1]

The surge in hiking tourism reflects a broader shift, as visitors stray from brief stops at major landmarks to extended explorations of diverse neighborhoods and experiences.

Of course, central Seoul's Myeongdong and western Seoul's Hongdae continue to rank among the top 10 most-visited destinations in the capital, according to surveys by the Seoul Tourism Organization from 2019 to 2025. However, Dongdaemun and Namdaemun, both markets in central Seoul, and Seoul Forest and Seongsu-dong in eastern Seoul appeared on the list for the first time in 2025, pointing to a diversification of tourist routes.

Moreover, a separate analysis by the city found that short-term vacation packages generate limited spillover into the broader economy, instead remaining concentrated with accommodation providers and travel agencies. By contrast, the city expects longer, experience-based visits to increase travelers' spending and revitalize local economies.

In response, Seoul is building its so-called touronomics — a portmanteau of the words “tourism” and “economics” — strategy to reflect this shift and moving toward what it calls “extended-stay tourism.”

The plan, framed as a 30-30-7-70 vision, targets 30 million foreign visitors, 3 million won ($2,030) in per capita spending, an average stay of seven days and a revisit rate of 70 percent.

Another pillar of the extended-stay approach is the city's year-round seasonal festivals, held under the theme “365 Fun Seoul.”

People walk in Gwanghwamun Square in Jongno District, central Seoul, on April 20. [NEWS1]

The Seoul Spring Festival, which began on April 10 and runs through May 5, features cultural performances, drone light shows and a floating carousel on the Han River, among other programs.

A summer event combining swimming, cycling and running along the Han River is also in the works for the warmer months. The athletic event will feature various courses and programs to increase accessibility and invite foreign participants to extend their stay and visit repeatedly.

The city also plans to host an autumn festival to link the Seoul International Fireworks Festival with the Taste of Seoul, which brings together various culinary experiences.

“Seoul tourism is shifting rapidly away from short visits toward extended stays and consumption-centered experiences,” said Kim Myung-ju, the director general of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Tourism and Sports Bureau.

“By expanding experiential content, we will encourage visitors to stay longer and spend [across industries] so that the everyday life of Seoul becomes a source of enjoyment for people around the world — and a driver of economic vitality.”

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM MIN-WOOK [[email protected]]