Tripadvisor, the world’s largest travel platform, has ranked Seoul the No. 1 city for solo travel.
On Tuesday, the city of Seoul announced that Tripadvisor selected Seoul as the top destination in the Solo Travel category of its Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best. This annual award is based on reviews and opinions from travelers around the globe and highlights the top 1% of destinations worldwide.
Tripadvisor described Seoul as a city where the past and present blend seamlessly and praised its world-class subway system. The platform highlighted the well-organized subway maps and efficient operations that make it easy for visitors to explore the city. It also mentioned that late-night travel is convenient with “owl buses” or nighttime buses, which allow easy movement across the city after midnight. Additionally, the intercity bus system makes day trips to nearby areas convenient.
The city government of Seoul attributed this recognition to its efforts in developing tourist infrastructure that reflects the latest trends, allowing visitors to explore the city safely and conveniently even when traveling alone. This aligns with the top priority of the 3377 Seoul Tourism Vision, a future-focused tourism initiative unveiled in 2023 by Mayor Oh Se Hoon.
Koo Jong Won, the Director of Seoul’s Tourism and Sports Bureau, commented, “Individual travel, commonly referred to as solo travel, has become a new tourism trend. We will ensure foreign tourists feel convenience and safety in Seoul, creating a truly memorable experience. At the same time, we will actively showcase Seoul’s unique and attractive tourism content to establish the city as a high-quality tourism destination and accelerate the realization of the 3377 Seoul Tourism Vision.”
Meanwhile, the number of foreign tourists visiting Seoul has steadily increased since the COVID-19 pandemic. By November last year, 12.12 million foreign tourists had visited Seoul, recovering 95% of the record-high 12.74 million visitors in 2019.