Nearly 80 percent of foreign tourists to Seoul like to go shopping

SEOUL, April 12 (Yonhap) -- Nearly 80 percent of foreign visitors to Seoul like to go shopping the most and about 60 percent wish to enjoy Korean dishes, a survey showed Thursday. According to the survey commissioned by the Seoul metropolitan government, 85.2 percent of the respondents expressed a desire to go to the Myeongdong shopping area in the city center. About 57 percent said they wanted to visit N Seoul Tower on Mount Nam in central Seoul, and 55 percent said they would like to spend time at four palaces of the 1392-1910 Joseon Dynasty. Lotte Duty Free Shop came next with 51.5 percent, trailed by Lotte Department Store with 48.7 percent, Dongdaemun Market with 45.7 percent and the Insadong and Samcheongdong area with 40 percent. Nielson Korea conducted the survey of 6,000 foreign tourists in January and February. The research showed that stays in Seoul averaged five days in 2017, slightly up from 4.9 days the previous year. It found 44.3 percent of the respondents had made a second visit to Seoul, compared with 41.7 percent in the previous year. The repeat visit rate among Chinese tourists was 46.9 percent, up from 37.8 percent a year ago, while the rate of Japanese visitors was almost flat at 69.5 percent. More than 52 percent of the respondents said they shop at duty free stores, 48.2 percent at traditional markets and 44 percent at department stores. An increasing number of tourists hoped to visit traditional markets to enjoy unique tourist spots and experience the ordinary life of local people, the metro government said. The city government plans to utilize the results of the survey to create a better environment for foreign tourists. namsh@yna.co.kr (END)