Japanese Tourists Flock to Seoul For Beauty
It was found that 5 out of 10 Japanese tourists use beauty and medical services in Seoul, enjoying core experiences within a short period.Seoul City announced on Sep. 29 that, as a result of analyzing big data and travel communities related to Japanese tourists visiting Korea, Japanese tourists pref
Japanese tourists are increasingly choosing Seoul for their travels, primarily due to the city's reputation for exceptional beauty and medical services, according to recent data. A report revealed that five out of ten Japanese visitors opt to use such services, often within a brief period. This trend was identified by Seoul City after evaluating large datasets and travel communities related to Japanese tourists visiting Korea.
The allure of Seoul lies in its ability to offer a rich travel experience that combines core activities like shopping, gastronomy, and beauty treatments. The geographical proximity of Seoul to Japan has led to a travel style that intensively incorporates these aspects. This preference for a short-haul itinerary, which combines Seoul's strengths with K-beauty and gastronomic culture, is evident in actual consumption figures.
As per the Seoul City big data platform, the medical and wellness industry, encompassing beauty, health, and skincare, accounted for the highest proportion of Japanese tourists' spending at 48.0%. This was followed by shopping at 24.3%, gastronomy at 17.7%, and accommodation at 9.2%.
The primary demographic driving this trend is women aged 20 to 30. According to the Korea Tourism Organization, women made up 68% of the 3.65 million Japanese tourists who visited Korea last year. Within these age groups, women in their 20s and 30s represented 34% of the total visitors. These women often incorporate unique experiences, such as body scrubs or beauty treatments, into their Seoul itineraries alongside shopping and gastronomy in popular areas like Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun.
Seoul City has plans to further capitalize on this trend by integrating night-time economic activities into its tourism offerings. As part of the '24-hour vital economic city Seoul' policy, the city aims to create new tourism routes that lead to late-night shopping and gastronomy within designated zones like Myeong-dong and Dongdaemun.
Additionally, it seeks to include early-morning experiences the following day, thereby vitalizing local commercial districts through late-night and early-morning consumption. Cho Seong-ho, Director-General of the Tourism and Sports Bureau, emphasized, "The ability to enjoy various experiences, including shopping, gastronomy, and beauty, on a short itinerary is Seoul's strength."
He further stated, "We will enhance visitor satisfaction by expanding tourism content to late-night and early-morning hours and providing tailored information and services for short-haul visitors to Korea."
Additionally, the total number of foreign tourists visiting Korea from January to August 2023 reached 15.05 million, marking a 21.6% increase compared to the same period in 2022. This surge propelled Korea past the 15 million annual visitor milestone more than a month ahead of the previous year's record.
Written by urgent.news from BusinessKorea's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
