Gangneung Sees Surge in Foreign Tourists, Reflecting South Korea’s Growing Appeal

GANGNEUNG, Jul. 23 (Korea Bizwire) –  The coastal city of Gangneung, located in South Korea’s Gangwon Province, has experienced a significant increase in foreign individual tourists, according to recent data.

A joint initiative by the Gangwon Provincial Government and the city of Gangneung, which offers a specialized taxi service for foreign tourists, reported a 144% year-on-year increase in ridership during the first half of this year.

The service accommodated a total of 5,111 foreign visitors, a figure that city officials say reflects Gangneung’s rising international profile.

“This growth demonstrates that Gangneung is not only cementing its position as a premier domestic tourism destination but is also gaining recognition on the global stage,” a city representative stated.

Analysis of the taxi service usage revealed that the majority of visitors hailed from China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia, and Japan.

The most popular destinations among these tourists included filming locations from the popular K-drama “Goblin,” the “BTS bus stop,” Gangneung Coffee Street, Gyeongpo Beach, and the Central Market. 

City officials interpret these trends as indicative of a shift towards individual tourism centered around Korean pop culture themes, commonly known as “Hallyu” or the Korean Wave. 

The foreign tourist taxi service was introduced to address one of the most significant challenges faced by international visitors in regional cities: transportation between tourist sites. It offers a convenient, fixed-rate service allowing tourists to travel easily to their desired destinations. 

Eom Geum-moon, head of Gangneung’s Tourism Policy Division, said on July 22, “In pursuit of our vision to become Asia’s capital of healing tourism, we are actively developing tour packages for both individual and group foreign tourists.”

Image credit: HYBE, Gangneung City / photonews@koreabizwire.com