Premium Travel Buyers from 11 Countries Gather in Seoul for Fifth Anniversary Tourism Networking Event -
Four-day event held June 7–10 brings together premium travel buyers from 11 countries and 31 organizations from Korea’s tourism industry
Event marks its fifth anniversary while showcasing Seoul’s appeal as a global premium tourism destination through culture, gastronomy, and wellness experiences
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) is inviting key buyers and industry leaders from the global premium travel market to Seoul, highlighting the city’s distinctive appeal as a global premium tourism destination that offers a unique blend of culture, gastronomy, and wellness experiences beyond traditional sightseeing.
The city hosted Explore Seoul with Connections 2026, a global premium tourism networking event, from Sunday, June 7 to Wednesday, June 10. Marking its fifth anniversary, the event has been rebranded from its previous name, Connections Luxury Seoul. The new name reflects Seoul’s ambition to establish itself in the global market not simply as a travel destination, but as a premier tourism city known for its craftsmanship, culture, and lifestyle offerings.
The event brought together 31 key buyers and industry leaders from the premium tourism sector across 11 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, and Spain, along with 31 Korean organizations representing hotels, travel agencies, and businesses specializing in culture, gastronomy, and wellness tourism. Through one-on-one business meetings, domestic and international participants discussed opportunities for collaboration and the development of tourism products that highlight Seoul’s unique strengths.
This year, Seoul selected “harmony between tradition and modernity” as the event theme and significantly expanded its immersive programs to provide participants with a deeper understanding of the city’s unique identity. International buyers experienced Korean culture firsthand through activities including miniature flower shoe-crafting with a traditional flower-shoe artisan, calligraphy workshops, and tastings of traditional Korean liquor and Korean desserts. They also participated in small-group programs in Bukchon Hanok Village, where they explored the history and everyday culture embodied in hanoks (traditional Korean houses) while experiencing Seoul’s distinctive cultural tourism offerings.
Seoul also partnered with the Gangwon Tourism Organization this year to offer a regional partnership familiarization (FAM) tour. The initiative aims to create premium travel itineraries that begin in Seoul and naturally extend to regional destinations while fostering balanced tourism growth through interregional cooperation.
Seoul expects the event to strengthen collaboration with key networks in the global tourism industry and attract more high-value visitors, contributing to the qualitative growth of Seoul’s tourism sector.
Learn more (Korean): https://korean.visitseoul.net/partners-kr/premiumtour
Photos from Connections Luxury Seoul 2025
One-on-one business meetings
Hands-on experience with Korean traditional instruments
