According to the global market analyst, some 1.3 billion people traveled to overseas destinations in 2023. People who were grounded during the COVID-19 pandemic headed to foreign countries as soon as most of the world's countries re-opened their borders in 2023.
The overseas travelers' most-favorite destination was Frace's Paris, followed by the United Arab Emirates' Dubai, and Netherlands' Amsterdam. Seoul, which was ranked 26th in 2022, became the 14th most favorite city in 2023. Eight of the top 10 cities were European cities.
The most notable increases in the number of foreign travelers were witnessed in Hong Kong and Bangkok, which saw an increase of 2,495 percent on-year and 142 percent on-year in 2023, respectively.
According to Creatrip, a South Korean tourism market analyst firm, the most searched keywords by foreign tourists to Seoul were "Hanbok," traditional Korean dress, and "photo studio."
It is common to see foreign tourists wearing Hanbok and taking photographs in tourist hotspots such as central Seoul. The global recognition of the traditional Korean dress was increased after the clothes were introduced through various South Korean dramas, films, and music videos.