The Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), in collaboration with the Seoul Metropolitan Government, recently held its largest-ever tourism promotional event in Malaysia, titled “Seoul My Soul in Kuala Lumpur”, to further strengthen tourism ties between Seoul and Malaysia.
Malaysia remains one of Korea’s most significant tourism markets, with over 300,000 Malaysians visiting Korea annually as of 2024. Driven by the enduring popularity of the Korean Wave (Hallyu), interest in Korean travel continues to grow, with surveys showing that Korean cultural content ranks among the top three most popular in Malaysia globally.
This year’s Seoul Tourism Briefings Event was themed around Seoul’s 2025 city brand “SEOUL MY SOUL” and its new signature color, “Green Aurora.” The event was designed to showcase Seoul’s unique tourism offerings to key players in Malaysia’s travel industry, foster collaboration, and inspire the creation of innovative travel products focused on Seoul.
The event featured a record number of participants, with 18 tourism-related organizations from Korea taking part. These included 12 travel agencies—such as ARISU KOREA DMC, Bomun World Travel, and Jane DMC Korea—three hotels located in Seoul’s top tourist districts, and three experience and entertainment companies, including ELAND CRUISE and the iconic NSEOUL TOWER.
In a notable expansion of the event’s regional focus, the Incheon Tourism Organization was also invited to participate. This move highlights STO’s growing commitment to encouraging regional cooperation and enhancing the diversity of tourism content offered to international visitors. The goal is not only to promote Seoul but also to strengthen ties with surrounding destinations such as Incheon, ultimately encouraging repeat visits and supporting the revitalization of local tourism.
Given that many Malaysian travelers are already familiar with Seoul, STO believes that expanding collaborative efforts with regional destinations can significantly enrich the visitor experience and create a more comprehensive and rewarding Korean travel ecosystem.
The “Seoul My Soul in Kuala Lumpur” event is expected to generate valuable business connections between Korean tourism stakeholders and Malaysian travel industry professionals, laying the groundwork for innovative travel packages and increased visitor numbers from Malaysia in the coming years.
