The Seoul metropolitan government said it is stepping up citywide services to welcome foreign visitors, linking support from airports to downtown areas as it manages peak spring travel demand.
Seoul said Sunday it will run "2026 Seoul Welcome Week (Seoul Welcome Week 2026)" with the Seoul Tourism Association from May 1 to 8. The city is targeting a Northeast Asia travel peak as Japan’s Golden Week overlaps with China’s Labor Day holiday. Seoul said demand for trips to South Korea has been rising, including for K-pop concerts, and it aims to capture that momentum for visits to the capital.
The main hubs will be Myeongdong and Yeouido. Seoul will set up a "welcome center" near Myeongdong Station and a "welcome booth" at Yeouido Hangang Park, operating them intensively from May 1 to 5. The city said it will continue the campaign through May 8 via major tourist information centers and local tourism antenna shops.
At the Myeongdong welcome center, Seoul will run a "Seoul styling spot" and an "AI smart travel guide consultation desk" to provide tailored information. The city will also offer hands-on activities including an art-drawing guestbook and K-pop cover dance performances. A K-beauty experience zone will be set up for visitors to try current Seoul trends, the city said.
At Yeouido Hangang Park, Seoul will operate tourist information programs tied to the Seoul Spring Festival. The city said the site will offer multilingual consultations, a traditional "daenggi meori" hair-styling experience and souvenir giveaway events.
Seoul said the welcome week is also designed to expand travel routes "from Seoul to the rest of the country." Working with local tourism antenna shops, the city plans to introduce region-specific content and provide discount coupons to encourage trips outside the capital.
Seoul also highlighted a "welcome from departure" strategy. In cooperation with China Eastern Airlines, the city will place welcome leaflets at departure airports on major routes including Shanghai, Qingdao and Nanjing. Seoul said it will also spread welcome messages across the city through outdoor digital billboards, mobility advertising and hotel media platforms.
Kim Myeong-ju, director general of Seoul’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, said foreign arrivals to South Korea in the first quarter rose about 23% from a year earlier, showing a rapid recovery in demand. "Through a welcome system that runs from the airport to the city center, we will further enhance the appeal of Seoul tourism," Kim said.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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