The Waterbomb Sokcho festival (Image courtesy of Hanwha Hotel & Resort)
SEOUL, Oct. 29 (Korea Bizwire) – Major South Korean hotels are finding success with a dual-purpose strategy of hosting concerts, effectively boosting both marketing impact and occupancy rates.
Hanwha Resort Seorak Sorano has hosted the Waterbomb Sokcho festival for two consecutive years, drawing over 15,000 attendees this year, according to industry sources on October 28. The resort achieved full occupancy during the August 17 event.
The resort has also hosted other significant music events, including the Here and There Concert Pack for 800 spectators and the GS25 Music Festival which attracted 16,000 people. Room occupancy reached 95% during the Concert Pack event on May 18 and hit full capacity during the GS25 festival on August 31.
“We’re organizing various cultural events to appeal to younger potential customers who favor festivals,” said a Hanwha Hotel & Resort representative.
“These events have also significantly contributed to local tourism and economic vitalization, with nearby accommodations consistently selling out during performances.”
The Walkerhill Park Concert (Image courtesy of Walkerhill Hotel & Resort)
Walkerhill Hotel & Resort has taken a different approach with its Walkerhill Park Concert series, offering performances against the natural backdrop of Achasan Mountain in the resort’s Forest Park.
The third series, held on October 6 and 20, featured orchestral performances of soundtracks from romantic films including “Romeo and Juliet,” “Love Actually,” “About Time,” and “Once.”
The hotel group, which includes Grand Walkerhill Seoul, Vista Walkerhill Seoul, and Douglas House, reported that over 30% of the 600 concert seats were filled by package guests who combined concert attendance with hotel stays.
“Every performance in the the Park Concert series has sold out,” a Walkerhill representative noted.
Ambassador Seoul Pullman has explored a more artistic direction, hosting an Art & Dine – Artists of Paris concert on August 30. The event combined large-screen projections of works by Van Gogh, Manet, and Monet with live cello and classical guitar performances of Debussy and Erik Satie compositions.
“We developed this event in response to growing interest in popular culture and the evolving perception of hotels as multi-purpose cultural and artistic spaces rather than just accommodation,” explained an Ambassador Seoul Pullman representative.
Lotte Resort Sokcho has also joined the trend, offering its first-ever concert package in March with the Waves of Soul featuring a double concert by Lee Young-hyun and Lee Hyun-woo.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
