If the post-pandemic scenario has shown us anything, it’s that for major tourist destinations, there’s an even more significant threat than rising prices, expensive housing, or even extreme heat waves redrawing the map and the dynamics of the sector. The biggest danger is that you can die of success.
It’s happening in Barcelona, Venice, and Iceland, where the locals are clearly showing their discomfort with overcrowding. And it’s happening in Seoul, where, to stem the tide of visitors choking one of its most popular neighborhoods, local authorities have decided to apply a radical measure: a curfew.
And this isn’t the only strategy in place.
Seoul’s essence. Seoul is a cosmopolitan, modern city with an impressive skyline of buildings up to 1,820 feet tall. However, it still has places that show its past and traditions. A clear example is Bukchon Hanok Village, a neighborhood where you can stroll among the country’s typical houses, known as hanok, which date back to the 14th century. Bukchon also has a central district that isn’t far from the Jongmyo Royal Shrine and the famous Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces.
A traditional and crowded destination. Its scenery and charm have made Bukchon Hanok Village attractice for thousands of tourists who flock to its streets daily to marvel at the hanok. An estimated 6.4 million tourists pass through the area each year. By 2023, that number reached 6.6 million, including visitors from other parts of South Korea and abroad. In practice, this means about 18,000 visitors per day.
The point is that Bukchon isn’t just a tourism destination. According to CNN, the neighborhood retains its charm mainly because about 6,000 people still live there. The area also has shops, inns, craft shops, and cafes. Coexistence between them isn’t always easy.
The Korea JoongAng Daily reports that in 2023, the district government received 202 complaints from neighbors annoyed by visitors’ behavior, noise, dirt, and vehicles that were parked the wrong way. The problem isn’t new. In fact, in 2018, local authorities installed several signs in four languages asking visitors to keep the noise down during their outings.
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One step further. Now, the local government has taken it a step further. Or several, depending on how you look at it. According to CNN, aware of the friction between locals and the flood of tourists, they’ve decided to use the Tourism Promotion Act to declare the neighborhood a “special management area,” the first in the country.
It may sound like a bureaucratic formality, but a series of actions aimed at controlling the flow of visitors will accompany the initial measure. Local authorities will restrict the passage of buses hired by tourists through certain places and divide the zone into three areas of different colors—red, orange, and yellow—so they can manage movements and focus on the busiest streets. Authorities are also considering using fines to make sure their plan is effective.
Focusing the spotlight. The Korea JoongAng Daily reports that the Jongno District Office, which includes Bukchon Hanok, has already made a move. A few days ago, it placed a 279-hectare area covering parts of Samcheong-dong and Gahoe-dong districts under “special controlled area.”
With their peculiar color-coding system, officials assigned red to the area around Bukchon-ro 11-gil, which has the most hanok and bears the brunt of tourist pressure. The idea is to start a trial run of the new rules in October, although it will be months before residents see them in full effect. In January, for example, authorities will remove some bus stops.
Curfew (for tourists). The most drastic measure, however, sounds like something out of a Korean period drama. As part of the program, Seoul authorities plan to enforce strict visiting hours in the “red zone” of the Bukchon Hanok Village, the busiest and most popular area for visitors, starting in March. Between 5:00 p.m. and 10:00 a.m., visitors will not be able to enter the area.
Officials say they will strictly enforce the restriction. Those who violate the ban risk a fine of 100,000 won, about $72. Given the unorthodox nature of the rule, several national and international media outlets are already discussing a “curfew” for tourists. In the orange and yellow zones, authorities won’t apply the curfew. However, government employees will be in charge of controlling human traffic.
The “curfew” has caused a stir, but some in Bukchon Hanok Village are skeptical. The reason: When setting the hours for the curfew, the authorities seem to have considered the habits that tourists already have, so closing the neighborhood between late afternoon and early morning wouldn’t make much of a difference. “In winter, visitors leave at 5 p.m. and in summer at 6 p.m. because the days are longer,” cafe owner Lee Youn-hee told CNN Travel: “It doesn’t make much difference.”
The great dilemma of mass tourism. Seoul isn’t the only city that has decided to take action against the onslaught of tourists. This practice is becoming increasingly common in major international destinations trying to combine their tourism success with the daily lives of their residents. Amsterdam has launched a campaign to keep the most annoying visitors out, while Venice has decided to impose a new tourist tax. In Kyoto, officials have put a stop to “paparazzi tourists” in the area where the geishas work, and in Japan itself, they will start charging for those interested in climbing Mount Fuji along the most popular path.
Images | Domenico Convertini (Flickr), ROFAD (Flickr), Tom Page (Flickr)
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