Songpa-gu, Korea Tourism Organization Analyze 'Korea Tourism Data Lab' Data
63.26 Million Visitors from Jan to Jun This Year
Long-term Stays Increase Tourism Spending to 398 Billion Won
In the first half of this year, 63 million people from both domestic and international locations visited Songpa-gu, enjoying shopping, food, and culture, and spending 400 billion KRW.
Songpa-gu (Mayor Seo Gang-seok) analyzed data from the Korea Tourism Data Lab and announced key tourism statistics from January to June this year.
The Korea Tourism Data Lab is a big data platform of the Korea Tourism Organization that provides integrated analysis services based on various data such as mobile communications, credit cards, and navigation.
The number of visitors to Songpa-gu in the first half of 2024 (non-residents + foreigners) was 63,268,977. This represents a 4.6% increase compared to the same period last year and is about 100 times the total population of the district, which is 652,292. Compared to the number of visitors to Seoul during the same period (303,899,648), Songpa-gu accounted for 20.8%, meaning that one out of every five visitors to Seoul visited Songpa-gu.
Among the visitors, the highest proportion of foreigners came from the United States at 26.1%, followed by China at 16.2%, and Japan at 10.8%.
An increase in long-term stays was also notable. The average length of stay for visitors to Songpa-gu was 2.88 days, with 64.4% staying one night, 13.8% staying two nights, and 21.8% staying three nights or more. Among these, the number of visitors staying three nights or more increased by 19% compared to the same period last year, showing the largest growth.
The district explained that this change proves that Songpa is a place where complex tourism is possible, including long-term stays with shopping, food tours, and cultural experiences.
Total tourism consumption was recorded at 398.05932 billion KRW. This amount, equivalent to one-third of Songpa-gu’s annual budget (1.2083 trillion KRW), flowed into the local economy through tourism.
In particular, consumption increased during the tourism events held in March, April, and May in the first half of the year. Reflecting this, the district plans to attract tourists in the second half of the year by launching a new public art project with Lotte at Seokchon Lake in early September.
As a tourist destination, Songpa-gu’s appeal also received significant attention on social media (SNS). The number of mentions of Songpa-gu on SNS was 982,088, a 43.7% increase compared to the same period last year. Keyword analysis showed that visitors came with “friends, coworkers, family” and enjoyed “healing, outings, and tours” in Songpa-gu.
The most preferred tourist spot among visitors was the Garak-dong Agricultural and Marine Products Wholesale Market. Following that, Lotte World Mall ranked second, and Lotte World Jamsil branch ranked third. Other popular spots included Jamsil Baseball Stadium, Garden Five, and Olympic Park.
The district emphasized that popular tourist attractions are concentrated along Songpa-daero and analyzed that the district’s key project, the “Songpa-daero Luxury Street Development Project,” will positively contribute to attracting tourists and revitalizing the local economy in the future.
During the first half of the year, Songpa-gu maintained the maximum tourism activation index score of 100. This index indicates the smooth operation and successful outcomes of the local tourism industry, with the national average being 46.5. Among major domestic tourist cities, Jeju City scored 99.8, and Haeundae-gu in Busan scored 96.1.
Mayor Seo Gang-seok stated, “Songpa-gu has now firmly established itself as the tourism hub of Seoul,” and added, “We will continue the ‘Songpa-daero Luxury Street Development’ and unique tourism events to offer various pleasures and attractions, encouraging more tourists to visit Songpa-gu.”
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