Seoul is rolling out a broad welcome campaign for foreign visitors, aiming to provide closely linked services from airports to downtown stays and to manage peak spring travel demand more effectively.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said April 26 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 Northeast Asia’s busy travel period as Japan’s Golden Week overlaps with China’s Labor Day holiday. With demand rising amid events such as K-pop concerts, Seoul aims to lock in the uptick in inbound travel.
The main hubs will be Myeongdong and Yeouido. The city 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. It will extend the campaign atmosphere through May 8 via major tourist information centers and local tourism “antenna shops.”
At the Myeongdong welcome center, the city will run a “Seoul styling spot” and an “AI smart travel guide consultation desk” to provide tailored information. It will also add hands-on elements such as an art drawing guestbook and K-pop cover dance performances. A K-beauty experience zone, popular with foreign visitors, will let tourists try current Seoul trends firsthand.
At Yeouido Hangang Park, the city will operate tourist information programs linked to the Seoul Spring Festival. Along with multilingual consultations, it will offer a traditional hair-ribbon styling experience known as “daenggi meori” and souvenir giveaway events to encourage participation.
The welcome week is also designed to expand travel routes “from Seoul to the rest of the country.” Working with regional tourism antenna shops, the city plans to introduce locally focused content and provide discount coupons to encourage foreign visitors to travel outside Seoul.
A key feature is the city’s “welcome from departure” strategy. Seoul will work with China Eastern Airlines to place welcome leaflets at departure airports on major routes including Shanghai, Qingdao and Nanjing. It also plans to spread welcome messages across the city through outdoor digital billboards, mobility advertising and hotel media platforms.
“Inbound tourism demand is recovering quickly, with the number of foreign tourists visiting Korea in the first quarter up about 23% from a year earlier,” said Kim Myeong-ju, director general of Seoul’s Tourism and Sports Bureau. “Through a welcome system that runs from the airport to the city center, we will further enhance Seoul’s appeal as a destination.”
* This article has been translated by AI.
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