Public Times: Seoul has picked 10 standout tourism experiences that tap into current travel trends—think K-dramas—and will offer each operator up to 10 million KRW (about $7,500) in marketing support.
Seoul and the Seoul Tourism Foundation announced on the 29th that, through the 2026 Seoul Excellent Tourism Product Contest, they selected nine outstanding tourism packages plus one linked Seoul–Yeosu product.
This year’s contest highlighted offerings across K-dramas, e-sports, wellness and nighttime tourism—a clear sign that visitor interests are shifting.
Notably, many of the chosen programs are designed for independent international travelers (FITs), offering differentiated and more personalized experiences.
The nine selected operators are Goodmate Travel, Mindfulness Travel, Unique Tour, US Travel, Jeongho Travel Agency, Cosmojin Travel Agency, Premium Pass International, PLK Travel and Handy Tour. Handy Tour was also picked to run the Seoul–Yeosu linked product.
The 10 operators will receive a Seoul Excellent Tourism Product certificate valid for two years. They’ll also get a range of support, including promotion through global OTAs, marketing assistance, and customer-acquisition incentives of up to 10 million KRW (about $7,500).
They will join the Seoul Excellent Tourism Product Alliance for two years, gaining chances to collaborate and exchange ideas with Seoul City, the Seoul Tourism Foundation, and tourism industry partners at home and abroad.
Earlier, on the 26th, Seoul hosted the Alliance’s launch ceremony to strengthen systematic management and industry cooperation. At the event, the selected operators pledged to uphold standards that foster a fair, healthy tourism market and shared their plans for moving forward.
Kim Myung-joo, director of Seoul’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, said, "We’ll continue to develop distinctive tourism products tailored to the needs of independent international travelers and keep reflecting the latest travel trends to boost Seoul’s competitiveness. We will actively support the chosen products so they can broaden Seoul’s appeal."
Gil Ki-yeon, CEO of the Seoul Tourism Foundation, said, "We will help these winning products become competitive offerings in the market. Moving forward, we’ll keep strengthening promotion and expanding Seoul’s tourism content through diverse partnerships."
Reporter Ha-seong Kim sungkim61@public25.com
