Busan has been named one of 10 destinations expected to draw rising interest from travelers worldwide next year.
Hotels.com announced the findings on the 20th at L'Escape Hotel in Seoul's Jung-gu district in its 2027 travel trend report, Unpack '27. The report analyzed search data from Expedia Group along with a survey of 26,000 travelers in 16 countries, including 1,000 South Koreans.
The report selected 10 destinations with the fastest growth in flight and accommodation searches as its 2027 Destinations of the Year. Busan was the only Korean city on the list, with searches up 50%. South Lake Tahoe in the U.S. posted the steepest increase at 195%, followed by Hyogo in Japan at 95% and Punta del Este in Uruguay at 65%.
The report also identified "trip snacking" — taking brief one-night trips instead of long vacations — as a key travel trend for next year. Global searches for one-night stays on Hotels.com rose about 10% from a year earlier. Among Korean respondents, 95% said they plan to spend a night at a hotel for leisure, 16 percentage points above the global average of 79%.
Gothic-themed travel, in which the accommodation itself becomes the reason for the trip, is also expected to gain attention. Some 82% of Korean respondents said they were interested in Gothic-style hotels, above the global average of 65%. Global search demand for stays at historic castles rose 20%. L'Escape in Seoul was included among the 10 Gothic-style hotels worldwide selected by Hotels.com.
The report also pointed to "adult recess," in which grown-ups visit amusement parks and similar venues, and "screen tourism," in which travelers visit film and television locations, as trends for next year. Half of Korean respondents said they would consider visiting an amusement park with other adults. Seoul made the list of film and television destinations to watch next year through the K-pop movie "K-pop: The Debut."
Separately, Lavinia Rajaram, head of public relations for Asia at Expedia Group, stressed the importance of improving air access and keeping accommodation rates competitive to attract foreign tourists. "We need to improve transportation access, including by expanding direct flights, and secure reasonable accommodation rates," the executive said. "Hotels.com is sharing travel demand data with tourism authorities to help spread visitors across more regions."