"We will actively promote K-culture to bring not only Korean customers but also overseas travelers to Korea, and we will strengthen collaborations with famous Korean brands."
Hotels.com, a brand under global online travel company Expedia Group, held a press briefing on the 28th at the Ambassador Pullman Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, and unveiled its strategy to expand in the Korean market and global travel trends.
Senior Vice President and General Manager Hari Nair of Hotels.com and Lavinia Rajaram, head of Asia for global brand communications at Expedia Group, were among the key executives who attended the event.
Hotels.com marks the 21st anniversary of its entry into Korea this year. The company plans to expand brand collaborations in Korea and, through partnerships with tourism boards and payment platforms, move to boost inbound demand (foreigners traveling to Korea). It will also roll out services using new technologies, such as a price-change tracking feature and artificial intelligence (AI) filters, to improve the efficiency of trip planning.
Vice President Hari Nair said, "Hotels.com is no longer just a lodging reservation platform; it aims to establish itself as a community where local travelers and brands grow together," adding, "We will make Korea our key Asian hub, strengthen local collaborations, and showcase a variety of brand experiences." Nair added, "We plan to work with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) and others to actively promote K-culture in neighboring Asian countries and beyond so that more people can visit Korea."
This year, Hotels.com broadened consumer touchpoints by collaborating with domestic brands such as Ediya Coffee and CJ Olive Young. On Sept. 9, it teamed up with Ediya Coffee to launch a travel promotion tied to the release of new Italy-style coffee products, introducing major Italian cities as recommended destinations. It also partnered with Olive Young to offer lodging discount coupons to customers who purchased sunscreen, rolling out lifestyle-tailored marketing.
Expedia Group's global insights report "Unpack '26," also released that day, presented trends to watch over the next two years based on data from travelers worldwide. The report included five keywords: ▲ "stays steeped in history," preferring accommodations converted from historical spaces ▲ "hotel hopping," moving between multiple hotels ▲ "fandom sports travel," following sports events ▲ "screen tourism," seeking out movie and drama filming locations ▲ "destinations of the year," uncovering new places.
Among these, Hotels.com singled out "stays steeped in history" and "hotel hopping" as the representative trends for Korean travelers in 2026. The analysis is that more travelers are prominently opting for accommodations flexibly to match their tastes and experiences, rather than sticking to limited options.
Vice President Hari Nair said, "Hotels.com is constantly evolving to meet changing traveler expectations," adding, "Next year, we will unveil our brand mascot 'Bellboy' anew and introduce AI-based trip-planning tools such as price-change tracking and AI filters to further enhance the user experience."
Nair continued, "Alongside brand innovation, the insights introduced through 'Unpack '26' are part of our efforts to help travelers enjoy trips that reflect their values," and said, "We will help Korean travelers lead the travel culture to come and turn the future of global travel into inspiration."