The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization said Sunday that the city topped the "Favorite Worldwide City" category in the 2026 The Trazees awards, run by U.S.-based travel media outlet Trazee Travel. Dublin, Hong Kong, London and Athens rounded out the top five.
The winners were chosen by readers aged 25 to 40 — the business-travel core of the millennial and Gen Z market that the outlet targets. An awards ceremony is scheduled for Sunday in Chicago.
For its unbroken run since 2022, Seoul also received a "Quint Status" honor given to repeat winners and entered the awards' hall of fame, according to the city government, which said the recognition reflected a broader shift in how young tourists travel.
Where visitors once ticked off famous landmarks, they now chase local, everyday experiences, the city said — sampling K-fashion and K-beauty at Seongsu-dong pop-up stores, tasting street food at Gwangjang Market and hunting for vintage finds in Dongmyo.
The music and alley culture of Hongdae and Euljiro, along with urban hikes up Bukhansan Mountain and Achasan Mountain, were also cited as distinctive draws.
Foreign visits climbed at several sites last year, led by the Dongdaemun Design Plaza, up 12.1 percent, followed by Achasan at 11.8 percent and about 10 percent gains at Hongdae, Gwangjang Market and other spots, the city said, citing figures from the Seoul AI Foundation.
"Building on Seoul's unique lifestyle culture and content, we will grow into the global tourism city that people around the world most want to visit," said Cho Sung-ho, head of the city's tourism and sports bureau, adding that Seoul would expand experience-based tourism and step up its MICE marketing.
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