• 100 destinations selected across three categories—Rest, Taste, and Style—from healing and meditation to medical services, traditional Korean medicine, food, beauty, arts and culture.
• 217 candidates were received through an open call and recommendations and rigorously reviewed through written evaluations and on-site inspections by 14 experts.
• Signature offerings from the 100 destinations to be showcased at Seoul Wellness Travel Week 2026, opening October 29.
• Seoul to expand tourism products and programs linked to the selected destinations as part of efforts to become a leading global wellness tourism city.

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA, September 2, 2026 — The Seoul Metropolitan Government has selected the “100 Seoul Wellness Tourism Destinations,” a collection of signature destinations offering relaxation and healing amid the hustle and bustle of everyday life. The selected
destinations will be introduced to domestic and international visitors as part of Seoul’s diverse wellness tourism offerings in connection with “Seoul Wellness Travel Week 2026,” which opens on October 29.

Now in its second year, the 100 Seoul Wellness Tourism Destinations are divided into three categories: Rest, with 52 destinations encompassing healing and meditation, nature-based wellness, medical services, traditional Korean medicine, and wellness stays; Taste, with 17 food destinations; and
Style, with 31 destinations spanning beauty and spas, arts and culture.
– The initiative takes a fresh look at Seoul’s diverse resources—including its natural environment and cultural assets, medical services and traditional Korean medicine, healthy food culture, beauty, and arts and culture—through the lens of wellness, linking them to tourism experiences.
Together, the destinations showcase the appeal of Seoul-style wellness tourism, offering opportunities to experience relaxation and recovery, wholesome cuisine, and beauty in accessible, everyday settings across the city.

This year’s 100 destinations were selected through a rigorous review of 217 candidates received through an open call and recommendations from experts and citizens.
– A selection committee comprising 14 experts, including local specialists, conducted two rounds of written evaluations followed by on-site inspections. Lee-Kyung Han, CEO of Polaris Advisor and a global hotel development expert, served as chair of the selection committee for the second
consecutive year.

Drawing on Seoul’s distinctive resources and lifestyle, the selection committee chose “Seoul, Defines the Next Wellness” as this year’s theme, reflecting the idea of presenting new wellness experiences and value not only in Korea but also on the global stage.
– “This year, we discovered a wider and more diverse range of high-quality wellness tourism destinations than last year, reaffirming Seoul’s competitiveness in wellness tourism,” said Han. “With tradition and modernity, nature and urban life existing side by side—and everyday life itself
becoming part of the travel experience—Seoul has tremendous potential to set a new global standard for wellness.”

Visitors and tourism industry representatives will be able to experience the selected destinations firsthand during Seoul Wellness Travel Week 2026. Throughout the event, a wide range of programs will offer opportunities to experience Seoul’s distinctive Rest, Taste, and Style offerings.
– Among the selected destinations, Bongeunsa Temple represents Rest, offering special programs such as nighttime temple meditation that allow visitors to step away from their daily routines and find rest for both body and mind amid a thousand years of history and tranquility in the heart of
Gangnam. Representing Taste, Philkyungjae serves traditional royal court cuisine and hanjeongsik (traditional Korean set meals) in a 500-year-old hanok and will host a special hanji exhibition during the event, bringing together traditional Korean aesthetics and cuisine in a unique healing
experience. For Style, Boston Chamber Salon, a venue for classical music busking, will present Korean music performances during the event, creating a distinctive wellness experience that brings Eastern and Western musical traditions together.

This year’s Wellness Travel Week will also feature programs showcasing the distinctive character of Gangnam, the event’s host district. Kang Eun Ahn, CEO of INNE Art Management and an expert in international exhibition planning, served as regional director, helping identify Gangnam’s diverse
wellness resources and develop programs tailored to the area.
– “Gangnam brings together Seoul’s signature lifestyle and wellness offerings,” said Ahn. “I hope this event provides an opportunity for international visitors to discover Gangnam’s diverse spaces in a new light—as wellness tourism destinations.”

The global wellness industry is growing rapidly as people increasingly prioritize healthy living and quality of life, emerging as a new high-value sector.
– The global wellness economy is projected to grow from approximately USD 6.7 trillion in 2024 to around USD 10 trillion by 2029. Wellness travelers also spend an average of USD 1,601 per person, 35% more than the USD 1,185 spent by travelers overall. As wellness increasingly integrates with
sectors such as healthcare, beauty, food culture, and arts and culture, it is gaining importance as a growth sector that generates new tourism demand and contributes to local economies.

Building on its world-class medical services and wealth of resources in beauty, traditional Korean medicine, cuisine, arts and culture, Seoul is fostering Urban Wellness tourism, offering relaxation and recovery in the heart of the city. One of Seoul’s distinctive strengths is its ability to
connect wellness with medical tourism, extending the experience across the entire visitor journey, from procedures and treatment to recovery and relaxation.
– To meet growing global demand for wellness tourism, Seoul plans to continue identifying and developing its diverse resources—including medical services, beauty, traditional Korean medicine, cuisine, and arts and culture—as wellness tourism offerings. The city will also strengthen the
competitiveness of Seoul-style wellness tourism by developing tourism products and enhancing global marketing efforts.

Going forward, Seoul will develop the 100 Seoul Wellness Tourism Destinations into signature tourism offerings, incorporating them into a wider range of tourism products and programs while strengthening domestic and international promotion and marketing. Through these efforts, the city aims to
raise awareness of the selected destinations and establish Seoul as a leading global wellness tourism city.

The full list of the 100 Seoul Wellness Tourism Destinations and further information on Seoul Wellness Travel Week 2026 will be available beginning September 1 on the official website (www.seoulwellnesstravel.com) and the official Instagram account (@seoulwellnesstravelweek).

“Seoul has an unrivaled range of wellness tourism resources that allow visitors to enjoy both the vibrancy of a dynamic city and moments of peaceful relaxation,” said Cho Seong-ho, Director-General of Seoul’s Tourism and Sports Bureau. “Building on the 100 Seoul Wellness Tourism Destinations and
Seoul Wellness Travel Week, we will step up our efforts to firmly establish Seoul as a leading hub in the global wellness tourism market.”