Gangnam-gu, Seoul's iconic tourism hub and global MICE hub, is a hub for residential tourism and K-content consumption. This report proposes structural policy directions to increase length of stay, spending, and repeat visitation rates,
based on tourism, culture, and consumption data . The goal is to transform Gangnam-gu into a global tourism city by establishing a "tourism, economy, and culture convergence ecosystem . "
| division | detail |
|---|---|
| Policy objectives | Building a Glocal tourism city (stay + content type) |
| Scope of analysis | Tourist Types, Consumption Patterns, Accommodation/Transportation, Content/MICE |
| Expected effect | Increased length of stay, increased return visit rate, and increased local consumption |
We integrated MarketHub tourism data, the Seoul Tourism Foundation database, Google Travel Insight, and AI sentiment analysis data.
The analysis was based on a four-step loop: "Access → Stay → Spend → Engage."
| Analysis axis | Key data | Analysis tools |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Aviation, railway, and transportation | Tourism Statistics DB |
| Stay | Accommodation/stay time | OTA·K-Stay |
| Spend | Consumption and payment patterns | Credit Card Statistics |
| Engage | SNS, Reviews, Videos | AI Sentiment |
Approximately 22% of all Seoul tourists stay in the Gangnam area , with a particularly pronounced consumption pattern centered on MICE, K-beauty, K-food, and shopping
. The average length of stay for tourists increased from 1.9 days to 2.6 days (a 37% increase over three years) , and foreigners spent an average of KRW 850,000 (vs. the national average of KRW 470,000).
| division | Key figures | evaluation |
|---|---|---|
| Visitor ratio | 22% of all of Seoul | very high |
| Average length of stay | 2.6 days (+37%) | During the transition to a residence type |
| Foreign consumption | 850,000 won | High consumption rights |
| Revisit rate | 61% | High loyalty |
| SNS mentions | +43% year-on-year | Increased global exposure |
AI analysis results show that Gangnam visitors fall into four main categories
. These categories will be directly utilized in designing future customized tourism policies and campaigns.
| category | Key Features | Main activities | consumption patterns |
|---|---|---|---|
| Korean Wave Experience (K-Fans) | women in their 20s and 30s | Performances, Entertainment, and Shopping | Fashion & Beauty |
| Business (MICE) | Office workers in their 30s to 50s | Seminars and Exhibitions | Accommodation/Transportation |
| Luxury (Premium) | High-income earners and foreign investors | Fine dining and medical services | Medical and Real Estate |
| Urban-Stay | Long-term foreign residents | Coworking/Café | Small consumption/settlement type |
AI-based card payment and search term analysis results show that tourism consumption in Gangnam is undergoing a structural shift toward digital and experiential consumption
as of 2025. Foreigners are highly interested in K-beauty (24%) , Korean and fusion food (21%) , and entertainment and performances (18%)
, and the top area for stay consumption remains the Gangnam Station-Cheongdam-Samsung-dong belt .
| item | Top 3 places | specific gravity |
|---|---|---|
| lodgment | Gangnam Station, Samseong-dong, Apgujeong | 31% |
| Food and beverage | Nonhyeon, Sinsa, and Cheongdam | 26% |
| shopping | COEX, Starfield, Garosu-gil | 24% |
| Culture and Performances | K-POP Hall/Gallery | 11% |
| Medical and Wellness | Apgujeong·Dosandaero | 8% |
Gangnam-gu is evolving into a "content-based, residential city" that combines tourism and industry.
The goal is to develop the tourism industry structure, which integrates AI, media, MICE, beauty, and healthcare, into an "urban IP industry."
| axis | Main contents | Policy linkage |
|---|---|---|
| Korean Wave content | Industrialization of K-POP, Fashion, and Beauty | Korean Wave Festival |
| medical tourism | Linked skin, plastic surgery, and health checkups | Medical Tourism Center |
| digital tourism | AR·AI guide system | Smart Tourism |
| Exhibitions and Conventions | Expanding the number of global events | MICE City Seoul |
| Wellness Tourism | Rest, Meditation, and Health Tech | ESG·Well-being |
Gangnam District hosts approximately 35% of all MICE events in Seoul, with the COEX-Bongeunsa-Samsung Station-Weekend Trade Center axis serving as a key cluster.
The MICE industry generates an economic impact, with foreign visitors spending 2.3 times more per capita than general tourists.
| item | Main contents |
|---|---|
| Number of MICE events | About 3,800 cases per year (35% of Seoul) |
| Major events | CES Asia, K-Startup Week |
| consumption effect | Foreign consumption +230% |
| economic effect | 1.4 trillion won (including direct and indirect) |
| Improvement tasks | Strengthening event space, accessibility, and accommodations |
The key infrastructure improvements for expanding residential tourism are 'accessibility + accommodation + residential experience + digitalization.'
| area | Policy direction | Detailed execution |
|---|---|---|
| Accessibility | Convenient airport/subway transfers | Airport bus route expansion |
| lodgment | Expansion of small-scale lodging facilities | Introduction of the K-Stay certification system |
| Stay experience | Workation/Local Experience | Stay-type tourist pass |
| Digitalization | AR Tour/AI Guide | MarketHub Smart Tour |
Glocal tourism policy is being reorganized beyond simple promotion to a structure that connects industry, culture, and consumption based on data .
| step | Key Strategies | Policy tools |
|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Building integrated tourism and consumption data | AI Loop and OTA Linkage |
| Step 2 | Glocal tourism branding | Gangnam K-Life Week |
| Step 3 | Completion of the residential economic model | Collaboration between local residents and small businesses |
| Step 4 | Global investment and content linkage | PPP + Global Marketing |
AI analyzed a year's worth of English, Chinese, and Japanese reviews, and found that the positive sentiment toward Gangnam tourism was **82.4%**, significantly exceeding the Seoul average (75.6%).
| language | affirmation(%) | negative(%) | Main keywords |
|---|---|---|---|
| english | 84.2 | 15.8 | clean, safe, stylish |
| chinese | 79.5 | 20.5 | 美丽, 方便, 时尚 |
| Japanese | 83.6 | 16.4 | 清潔, beauty, 親切 |
| korean | 82.4 | 17.6 | Convenient transportation, diversity, friendliness |
| synthesis | 82.4 | 17.6 | A city with a 'safe and sophisticated' image |
The tourism KPIs that are automatically updated quarterly are as follows:
| item | characteristic | Data source |
|---|---|---|
| Number of visitors | Total annual visitors / YoY | Seoul Tourism Foundation |
| Number of days of stay | Average number of nights stayed | OTA statistics |
| Consumption amount | Average consumption per person | Credit Card DB |
| Revisit rate | Foreigner standards | MarketHub |
| Trust index | Trust Index (Tourism) | AI analysis |
Gangnam-gu is developing into an "urban economic model that integrates business and tourism."
The core of Glocal tourism is "time spent × quality of experience × content connectivity."
By implementing tourism policies based on AI data , it is projected that
by 2028, stay consumption will increase by 42% compared to the current level , and repeat visitation rates will increase by 15 percentage points .
