Seoul tourism recovers to pre-pandemic level
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People wearing traditional Hanbok clothing at the Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, on Jan 29.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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SEOUL - The number of foreign tourists that visited Seoul in 2024 hit 12 million, a close return to pre-pandemic levels, according to government data released on Jan 31.
The Seoul metropolitan government said that between January and November 2024, the city saw 12.12 million foreign visitors, nearing the 12.74 million recorded during the same period in 2019, the highest on record.
The Covid-19 pandemic caused a sharp decline in tourism, with visitor numbers plummeting to 1.15 million in 2020 and about 500,000 in 2021.
However, the figures have rebounded almost as quickly, reaching 2.19 million in 2022 and 8.02 million in 2023.
To attract more visitors, the city plans to offer a variety of seasonal tourism experiences. In spring, Seoul Festa, a large-scale road show featuring performances and festivals, will take place from April 30 to May 6.
During summer, the Hangang Triathlon Festival, featuring swimming, cycling and running events, will run from May 30 to June 1. In autumn, a barbecue festival is scheduled between Oct 25 and 26. Finally, winter will see the return of the Seoul Lantern Festival in December.
Seoul was named the number one destination for solo travellers according to a ranking released in January by global travel platform Tripadvisor.
The city was recognised for its excellent public transportation system, low crime rates, friendly locals and a wide range of activities suitable for solo travellers. Kathmandu in Nepal, Cusco in Peru, Thailand’s capital Bangkok and Osaka, Japan, came after Seoul on the list. THE KOREA HERALD/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
