Seoul seeks to reshape tourism strategy to guard against overtourism

A promotional poster for the 2026 Seoul International Tourism Forum / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

Faced with the dual challenge of surging visitor numbers and the growing friction of overtourism, municipal authorities in Seoul are pivoting their strategy away from raw volume and toward structural sustainability.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government, in partnership with the Tourism Sciences Society of Korea, will launch the Seoul International Tourism Forum 2026 at the Westin Josun Seoul on Wednesday. The two-day event, which coincides with the academic society’s milestone 100th international conference, will draw roughly 900 global experts, policymakers and industry leaders to map out a qualitative blueprint for the capital’s travel sector.

The focus on long-term viability comes at a critical juncture for Seoul, which has rapidly transformed into a premier global destination fueled by the soft-power engine of the Korean wave. However, local officials are increasingly aware that unchecked expansion could lead to the same cultural exhaustion and neighborhood displacement currently plaguing historic hubs like Kyoto and Venice.

Magdalena Sepúlveda Carmona, the director of the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, will deliver the keynote address. Her speech is expected to confront the socioeconomic disparities hidden behind booming tourism revenues and outline how municipal governments can protect local neighborhoods while maintaining global appeal.

The forum will focus on four policy pillars tailored to restructure Seoul’s tourism landscape: mitigating overtourism while revitalizing local businesses, investing in high-yield sectors like medical tourism through streamlined visa and payment processing, leveraging artificial intelligence for digital meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions marketing, and cultivating high-value culinary and lifestyle experiences.

"This forum is a meaningful venue where international organizations, academia, and industry leaders unite to discuss the next century of Seoul tourism," said Kim Myung-joo, director-general of the city’s Tourism and Sports Bureau. "We will strengthen our policy capabilities across high-value, sustainable and smart tourism to leap forward."

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.