Busan has been named a "2027 Destination of the Year" in Unpack '27, the annual global travel trend report from Expedia Group released by Hotels.com.
Searches for flights and accommodations in Busan on Expedia rose 50% from a year earlier, making the city the only Korean destination among the 10 selected. Other picks included South Lake Tahoe in California, Hyogo in Japan, Punta del Este in Uruguay, Sedona in Arizona, and Holbox in Mexico.
The report also identified "bite-size travel" — brief one-night getaways from daily routines — as a leading trend for next year. Global searches on Hotels.com for one-night stays increased about 10% from a year earlier, and 79% of travelers worldwide said they plan to book a one-night stay within the next 12 months.
Among Korean travelers, 95% said they plan to book a one-night hotel stay for leisure, and 55% said their interest in weekend overnight stays had grown over the past year. The most common reason Koreans cited for considering short trips was marking a special occasion such as a birthday or anniversary, at 48%.
The report was based on search data from Expedia and Hotels.com, a survey of 26,000 travelers in 16 countries including 1,000 Koreans, and social media analysis.