Seoul is developing urban relaxation and recovery spots as part of its 'Seoul Wellness Tourism 100' initiative. The plan aims to connect the city's strengths in healthcare, traditional medicine, beauty, gastronomy, and cultural arts with the tourism industry to attract high-value tourism demand.
On September 1, the city announced that it selected the 'Seoul Wellness Tourism 100' from 217 candidates through public recruitment and recommendations from experts and citizens, following written evaluations and on-site inspections.
This year's initiative, now in its second year, is divided into three categories: 'Relaxation, Cuisine, and Culture.' The relaxation category includes 52 locations focused on healing, meditation, natural healing, healthcare, and accommodations. The cuisine category features 17 places where visitors can experience healthy dining, while the culture category includes 31 beauty, spa, and cultural arts venues.
The initiative is notable for not just introducing places for relaxation or health management, but for bundling experiences that allow tourists to engage directly with Seoul's natural environment, traditional culture, medical technology, food, and beauty industry.
The selection process involved 14 experts from various fields, including global hotel development, tourism, and cultural arts. The committee conducted two rounds of written evaluations and on-site inspections to comprehensively assess the competitiveness of facilities, experiential content, and potential for developing tourism products. Han Ik-kyung, CEO of Polaris Advisors and a global hotel development expert, served as the selection chair for the second consecutive year.
This year's theme is 'Seoul Defines the Next Wellness,' reflecting the city's unique blend of tradition and modernity, as well as its coexistence of nature and a high-density urban environment. It aims to present a differentiated 'urban wellness' model compared to traditional wellness tourism focused on resort areas.
Han Ik-kyung stated, "New wellness tourism sites have been discovered that have developed both qualitatively and quantitatively compared to last year. Seoul, where everyday life can become a journey, has the potential to set a new global standard for wellness tourism."
The selected locations will be officially introduced to domestic and international tourists during the '2026 Seoul Wellness Travel Week,' which begins on October 29.
Bongeunsa Temple, representing the relaxation category, will offer a nighttime meditation program that allows participants to experience the tranquility of a thousand-year-old temple alongside the night view of Gangnam.
Pilgyeongjae, featured in the cuisine category, will serve royal court cuisine and traditional meals in a 500-year-old hanok, along with a special exhibition of traditional Korean paper during the event.
The Boston Chamber Salon, selected in the culture category, will host a Korean music busking performance, providing a cultural arts wellness program that blends Eastern and Western music in a classical performance space.
This year's event will actively reflect the local characteristics of Gangnam, with An Kang-eun, CEO of Ine Art Management and an international exhibition planning expert, participating as the regional director to discover and plan programs that highlight Gangnam's medical, beauty, and cultural arts resources.
Seoul's push for wellness tourism comes as demand for health and quality of life-focused travel is rapidly expanding. The global wellness market is projected to grow from approximately $6.7 trillion in 2024 to about $10 trillion by 2029.
Wellness tourists spend an average of $1,601 per person, about 35% more than the average spending of general tourists, which is $1,185. This indicates significant potential for growth in high-value tourism, not only in increasing the number of tourists but also in extending their stay and spending.
Seoul sees its concentration of world-class medical services, traditional medicine, beauty, food, and cultural arts as a competitive advantage. The city believes that linking recovery, relaxation, healthy eating, and cultural experiences with medical tourism can enhance both the duration of tourist stays and their spending.
Moving forward, the city plans to connect the selected locations with tourism products and experiential programs while strengthening domestic and international promotion and marketing. The goal is to create a Seoul-style wellness tourism ecosystem that encompasses healthcare, beauty, traditional medicine, gastronomy, and cultural arts, establishing Seoul as a leading urban wellness tourism city.
Cho Seong-ho, head of the Seoul Tourism and Sports Bureau, remarked, "Seoul possesses unique tourism resources that allow visitors to enjoy both the vibrant city and serene relaxation. We will actively support the Wellness Tourism 100 and Seoul Wellness Travel Week as a stepping stone for Seoul to become a key city leading the global wellness tourism market."
The complete list of the 100 selected locations and detailed programs for the Seoul Wellness Travel Week can be found on the official website.
On September 1, the city announced that it selected the 'Seoul Wellness Tourism 100' from 217 candidates through public recruitment and recommendations from experts and citizens, following written evaluations and on-site inspections.
This year's initiative, now in its second year, is divided into three categories: 'Relaxation, Cuisine, and Culture.' The relaxation category includes 52 locations focused on healing, meditation, natural healing, healthcare, and accommodations. The cuisine category features 17 places where visitors can experience healthy dining, while the culture category includes 31 beauty, spa, and cultural arts venues.
The initiative is notable for not just introducing places for relaxation or health management, but for bundling experiences that allow tourists to engage directly with Seoul's natural environment, traditional culture, medical technology, food, and beauty industry.
The selection process involved 14 experts from various fields, including global hotel development, tourism, and cultural arts. The committee conducted two rounds of written evaluations and on-site inspections to comprehensively assess the competitiveness of facilities, experiential content, and potential for developing tourism products. Han Ik-kyung, CEO of Polaris Advisors and a global hotel development expert, served as the selection chair for the second consecutive year.
This year's theme is 'Seoul Defines the Next Wellness,' reflecting the city's unique blend of tradition and modernity, as well as its coexistence of nature and a high-density urban environment. It aims to present a differentiated 'urban wellness' model compared to traditional wellness tourism focused on resort areas.
Han Ik-kyung stated, "New wellness tourism sites have been discovered that have developed both qualitatively and quantitatively compared to last year. Seoul, where everyday life can become a journey, has the potential to set a new global standard for wellness tourism."
The selected locations will be officially introduced to domestic and international tourists during the '2026 Seoul Wellness Travel Week,' which begins on October 29.
Bongeunsa Temple, representing the relaxation category, will offer a nighttime meditation program that allows participants to experience the tranquility of a thousand-year-old temple alongside the night view of Gangnam.
Pilgyeongjae, featured in the cuisine category, will serve royal court cuisine and traditional meals in a 500-year-old hanok, along with a special exhibition of traditional Korean paper during the event.
The Boston Chamber Salon, selected in the culture category, will host a Korean music busking performance, providing a cultural arts wellness program that blends Eastern and Western music in a classical performance space.
This year's event will actively reflect the local characteristics of Gangnam, with An Kang-eun, CEO of Ine Art Management and an international exhibition planning expert, participating as the regional director to discover and plan programs that highlight Gangnam's medical, beauty, and cultural arts resources.
Seoul's push for wellness tourism comes as demand for health and quality of life-focused travel is rapidly expanding. The global wellness market is projected to grow from approximately $6.7 trillion in 2024 to about $10 trillion by 2029.
Wellness tourists spend an average of $1,601 per person, about 35% more than the average spending of general tourists, which is $1,185. This indicates significant potential for growth in high-value tourism, not only in increasing the number of tourists but also in extending their stay and spending.
Seoul sees its concentration of world-class medical services, traditional medicine, beauty, food, and cultural arts as a competitive advantage. The city believes that linking recovery, relaxation, healthy eating, and cultural experiences with medical tourism can enhance both the duration of tourist stays and their spending.
Moving forward, the city plans to connect the selected locations with tourism products and experiential programs while strengthening domestic and international promotion and marketing. The goal is to create a Seoul-style wellness tourism ecosystem that encompasses healthcare, beauty, traditional medicine, gastronomy, and cultural arts, establishing Seoul as a leading urban wellness tourism city.
Cho Seong-ho, head of the Seoul Tourism and Sports Bureau, remarked, "Seoul possesses unique tourism resources that allow visitors to enjoy both the vibrant city and serene relaxation. We will actively support the Wellness Tourism 100 and Seoul Wellness Travel Week as a stepping stone for Seoul to become a key city leading the global wellness tourism market."
The complete list of the 100 selected locations and detailed programs for the Seoul Wellness Travel Week can be found on the official website.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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