여행의 낭만인가, 바가지의 함정인가: 관광지 ‘오버투어리즘’의 명과 암 > K-wave Trends

Recently, Busan has been suffering from a surge in complaints from tourists ahead of the mega-event called BTS concert. The number of reports of tourist inconveniences received in Busan in the month of May exceeded half of all reports nationwide, which is a surprising level and is close to the number of reports for all of last year. In particular, the fact that the voices of foreign tourists are so overwhelming that they account for 84% of the total is a serious problem in terms of national image. The main complaints include unilateral cancellation of accommodation reservations, excessive charging of penalty fees, and exorbitant fees that are dozens of times higher than usual. This behavior goes beyond simple economic benefits and damages the city's brand value, and in the long run, it becomes a fatal poison that turns it into a travel destination that you do not want to visit again.

This kind of ‘rip-off’ targeting tourists is not just a problem in Korea. Recently, at a gelato shop in Rome, an American tourist couple paid an absurd amount of 80,000 won for two cups of ice cream, sparking a global controversy. Instead of proving that there was a lack of information about additional toppings, the store claims that the price is justified due to operating costs unique to tourist destinations. This is the result of a combination of merchants’ perception of tourists as one-time ‘bonds’ and the chronic problem of providing non-transparent price information. Tourists admit that they made a mistake by not carefully checking prices in advance, but local consumer groups are strongly urging that such ‘tourist traps’ be eradicated through clear marking on menus and mandatory information about additional fees.

On the other hand, not all commercial districts are smiling just because they are places where tourists flock. The case of Jeonju Hanok Village clearly demonstrates the structural contradictions of tourist commercial districts. The vacancy rate of mid- to large-sized stores in Hanok Village exceeds 30%, making it the highest level of distressed commercial districts in the province. However, small-sized stores are so popular that they have no vacancies. This is a mismatch phenomenon that occurs because large stores are unable to sustain a high cost structure centered on rent and sales price despite the existence of tourist demand. In addition, world famous attractions such as Barcelona's Sagrada Familia cathedral are experiencing extreme threats to local residents' right to housing due to 'overtourism' and inconveniences in daily life due to traffic restrictions. The formula that tourists boost the local economy does not work everywhere, and the city's unique color is being diluted due to infrastructure overload and skyrocketing rents.

Amid this crisis, the digital innovation efforts of local governments and companies to revive the tourism industry are also outstanding. Busan City, in cooperation with Naver, is conducting the ‘BE LOCAL’ campaign to connect foreign tourists with Michelin-selected restaurants and local hot places. This is an attempt to resolve the inconvenience caused to foreign tourists due to language barriers and to increase tourist satisfaction by creating an environment where everything from reservation to payment can be processed in one stop. In addition, Seosan City, South Chungcheong Province, is making careful preparations to attract 3,400 cruise tourists, including introducing Alipay for payment convenience and deploying interpreters. This technological approach is a wind of positive change that resolves information asymmetry and helps tourists enjoy local culture more deeply.