Foreign tourists visiting South Korea are expanding beyond shopping in Myeongdong and touring royal palaces to climb the country's best-known peaks, including Bukhansan and Seoraksan. Many are booking guided hiking tours and renting gear such as boots and trekking poles locally. "K-hiking," which lets visitors experience Korea's natural scenery alongside everyday local culture, is drawing attention as a new travel offering.
Traffic to hiking-related tour products in Korea rose about 22% between July 1 and Oct. 10 this year from a year earlier, global travel platform Klook said on the 16th. By market, traffic from U.S. users climbed 38% and from European users 34%. After the United States and Europe, users in Taiwan, Singapore and the Philippines searched most actively for such products.
Interest in Seoraksan Jumps 87% as Bukhansan Half-Day Tours Gain
Foreign visitors chose different hiking products depending on their itineraries and travel distances. In Seoul, half-day tours of Bukhansan, which combine city sightseeing with a mountain hike, proved popular. Traffic to small-group half-day Bukhansan tours rose 39% among U.S. users and 83% among European users from a year earlier.
Demand to venture outside Seoul for natural scenery was also notable. Traffic to Seoraksan-related tour products jumped 87%, the steepest increase among hiking destinations.
Because Seoraksan and Naejangsan require long travel times from Seoul, interest centered on single-day tour products. Traffic to day tours that let travelers choose one of the two mountains rose 122% in the United States and 85% in Europe. Day tours to Seoraksan alone gained 24% among U.S. users and 39% among European users.
Boots and Poles Rented on Site as Gear Demand Surges
Local rental services are also gaining popularity among foreign tourists who find it difficult to bring their own hiking gear. As interest widens from guided tours to equipment rentals, convenience services needed for hiking in Korea are drawing attention as well.
Traffic to Klook's hiking gear rental products for Bukhansan, Bugaksan and Gwanaksan rose 45% among U.S. users and 145% among European users from a year earlier. Rentals for Bukhansan alone climbed 29% in the United States and 97% in Europe.
Easy access from Seoul to major mountains is another draw of K-hiking. Subways and buses connect the city to Bukhansan and Gwanaksan, making it simple to plan sightseeing and a hike on the same day. The Seoul Tourism Organization rents hiking boots, clothing and poles at hiking tourism centers at Bukhansan, Bugaksan and Gwanaksan.
Korea's distinctive hiking culture also offers foreign visitors an unfamiliar experience. Eating gimbap at the summit and enjoying makgeolli and pajeon after the descent goes beyond simply climbing a mountain, turning the outing into a way to experience daily life in Korea.
"Korea has abundant hiking resources that foreign tourists can enjoy, from mountains easily reached from the city center to national parks with beautiful natural scenery," said Lee Jun-ho, head of Klook's Korea office. "We will continue to support foreign travelers in enjoying Korea's mountains more conveniently through a range of tour products and convenience services, and will actively promote regional nature tourism content."