Will a 5-Star Hotel Open in Downtown Gwangju?

Spotlight on Attracting Luxury Hotels
Amid the Rise of Mixed-Use Shopping Malls in Gwangju

Aerial view of The Hyundai Gwangju. Provided by Gwangju City.

As large-scale mixed-use shopping malls continue to open in downtown Gwangju, interest in attracting luxury hotels is also growing. With concerns being raised over the lack of large-scale accommodation facilities for international events and the MICE industry, attention is focused on whether new hotels can help meet this demand.

The main development sites include the Champions City mixed-use development PFV on the former Jeonbang and Ilsin Textile sites, and The Hyundai Gwangju project on the former Jeonilbang site. These projects are in discussions with well-known hotel chains such as Hotel Shilla, Hyatt, and Marriott, and plan to build hotels alongside apartments and commercial facilities.

Gwangju Shinsegae is also considering bringing in a hotel as part of its bus terminal complex project, reportedly weighing brands such as Onoma (4-star) or Josun Hotels & Resorts (5-star).

However, some believe that attracting a 5-star hotel will not be easy, given Gwangju's population size and profitability. A 5-star hotel must offer at least three restaurants, an international conference hall, and 24-hour room service. Major hotel chains are also focusing more on expanding 3- to 4-star hotels rather than 5-star properties, making the outlook for attracting a luxury hotel to Gwangju uncertain.

Currently, 5-star hotels in South Korea are only found in Seoul, Busan, Incheon, Jeju, and Gangneung. In Gwangju, there are a total of 15 registered tourist hotels, including three 4-star and four 3-star hotels.