The Seoul City government announced on the 10th that the number of foreign tourists visiting in January this year was counted at 900,000. The number of foreign tourists in January surpassed the previous record of 880,000 set in 2019. The city explained that informing visitors that 'Seoul is safe' was effective, even amid the 12·3 emergency martial law and impeachment political situation.
According to the city, the number of annual foreign tourists dropped from 13.9 million in 2019 to 8.36 million in 2023, a 40% decline over four years due to COVID-19. Foreign tourist numbers rebounded to 13.14 million last year. The city has set a goal to enter the '3·3·7·7 tourism era' by next year. The 3·3·7·7 refers to 30 million foreign tourists, an expenditure of 3 million won per person, a stay of 7 days, and a return visit rate of 70%.
The city plans to hold Han River sports events this summer and a barbecue event in the fall. A city official noted, 'Foreigners can enjoy Seoul with peace of mind, even when traveling alone, by using the subway.'