Korea takes spotlight as Trip.com rolls out data-driven travel picks

Trip.com Korea General Manager Justin Hong speaks during a press conference at Paradise City in Incheon, Tuesday. Courtesy of Trip.com

INCHEON — Trip.com, a leading online travel platform, underscored Korea’s growing role in global tourism on Tuesday as it introduced its data-driven curation service, Trip.Best, at a media event at Incheon’s Paradise City resort.

Korea was selected as the inaugural host for the Trip.Best 2025 gathering, marking a strategic move that underscores the nation’s growing influence in global tourism.

Trip.Best is Trip.com’s annually updated, artificial intelligence (AI)-powered service that curates and ranks hotels, restaurants and travel destinations in more than 15,000 cities across 200 countries by analyzing booking data and user reviews to provide themed recommendations in 14 categories, helping travelers make confident choices in an information-heavy market.

Since its launch in Korea in 2018, visits to Trip.com’s website and app have risen 144 percent in the first half of 2025, with a surge in repeat bookings underscoring strong customer loyalty.

“Korea is becoming a strategic hub in the global travel market. Expanding the base of loyal customers and analyzing diverse trend data are clear proof of our growth,” said Justin Hong, general manager of Trip.com Korea.

Company data shows that Korea now ranks second among major Asian markets in outbound travel frequency, behind only Singapore. Outbound travelers are projected to reach 28.5 million this year, while inbound visitors are expected to total 15.3 million — both figures approaching prepandemic levels.

Preferred destinations for Koreans include Japan, China, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, with increasing demand for long-haul routes to Europe and the Americas.

Available seats on Korea-Europe flights rose 40 percent from 2019, reflecting this growing appetite. Themed hotel bookings, such as homestays and gourmet experiences, soared by 697 percent and 242 percent, respectively, compared to last year.

For inbound travel, most tourists in Korea arrive from China, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan, the United States and Singapore. Regional favorites remain Seoul, Jeju Island, Busan and Daegu, while searches for emerging destinations like Tongyeong, South Gyeongsang Province, leapt 326 percent year-on-year.

Interest in K-culture experiences also powered a surge: Bookings for Gyeongbok Palace in Seoul jumped 115 percent, and searches for the National Museum of Korea climbed 34 percent.

Trip.com Group Vice President Sunny Sun speaks during a press conference at Paradise City in Incheon, Tuesday. Courtesy of Trip.com

One highlight of Trip.Best is the launch of the Taste of Hometown category, which expands access to curated Korean restaurant rankings for both Koreans and international travelers.

Korean users can now easily find top-rated Korean restaurants not only in Korea but also in 15 major cities across Japan, China, Vietnam and Thailand. Non-Korean travelers who crave Korean food can also access these recommendations while traveling abroad by switching their Trip.com account to Korean mode.

Sunny Sun, Trip.com Group vice president, noted that the expanded recommendation system offers trusted dining solutions and strengthens Korea’s position as a culinary leader.

“With Trip.Best, we offer a one-stop, trusted solution for every traveler’s choice,” Hong said.

Sun added, “Our platform updates its rankings daily, and Korean travelers — wherever they go — can rely on us for the latest and highest-quality recommendations.”