This Year's Tourism Trend is 'Moment'... "Everyday Life is Travel"

Korea Tourism Organization Announces Focus on Rural Travel and Eco-Friendly Travel

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Korea Tourism Organization has presented 'M.O.M.E.N.T' as this year's tourism trend.

2023 Tourism Trends. [Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

On the 31st, the Tourism Organization explained that 'M.O.M.E.N.T,' selected through big data analysis and expert interviews, signifies that in the endemic era, normalized travel demand can make every moment of daily life a travel moment.

M.O.M.E.N.T stands for ▲ Local tourism (Meet the local) ▲ Outdoor and leisure travel (Outdoor·leisure travel) ▲ Rural travel (Memorable time in rural area) ▲ Eco-friendly travel (Eco-friendly travel) ▲ Longer stay travel (Need for longer stay) ▲ Hobby travel (Trip to enjoy hobbies), based on the first letters of each English phrase.

The Tourism Organization explained that interest is increasing in unique local travel content such as regional restaurants, specialty products, and cultural and historical experiences that can only be experienced locally.

Additionally, as the preference for leisure sports travel rises, interest in outdoor activities such as walking and hiking, as well as surfing, golf, and tennis, is leading to experiential travel. The number of people enjoying their own hobbies is also increasing.

Interest in environmentally conscious travel is also on the rise. Due to concerns about the climate crisis, attention to environmental issues is expanding in the tourism sector, and efforts to reduce carbon emissions during travel, such as plogging and beachcombing, are spreading.

With the increase in telecommuting and remote work blurring the boundaries between work and life, travel involving living for extended periods in places other than one's residence, such as one-month stays and workations (Work+Vacation), is also on the rise.

Through this analysis, the Tourism Organization created a total of six personas (virtual characters based on actual user groups to analyze behavior patterns) and presented domestic travel characteristics and virtual travel scenarios by generation.

The travel types by generation are ▲ Industrialization generation (ages 67?78) values contribution to environment and society and pursues simple travel ▲ Baby Boomer generation (ages 57?66) actively engages in hobby travel compared to other generations and prefers short-term trips ▲ Generation X (ages 42?56) shows high interest in local travel that leisurely explores everyday local life ▲ Old Millennial generation (ages 33?41) pursues taste, cultural refinement, and self-development even in travel ▲ Young Millennial generation (ages 27?32) prefers long-term travel to experience destinations more deeply ▲ Generation Z (ages 15?26) seeks unique travel experiences worth showing to others.

Kim Hyungjun, head of the Tourism Consulting Team at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, “In the future, we will strive to analyze new implications quarterly in line with the essential nature of trends and share the results to create an ecosystem where related organizations and industries can respond timely to the rapidly changing tourism environment.”