Korean tourists stay longer, spend more in Paris

Atout France holds Paris region tourism workshop in Seoul

Korean visitors average 5.7 nights, well above the 4.1-night overall average

Tourism spending jumps 35% to 286 million euros ($332 million)

Four-star and above hotels account for 51% of Korean visitor stays

The Eiffel Tower at night [Atout France]

Korean visitors to the Paris region are growing in number — and staying longer than most. With an average stay of 5.7 nights, well above the overall international tourist average, Paris is cementing its reputation as a destination where Korean travelers linger rather than pass through.

Jung Hye-won, director of Atout France Korea [Atout France]

Atout France and the Paris Region Tourism Board held a Paris Region Tourism Workshop in Seoul on Thursday, bringing together more than 100 South Korean travel industry representatives and 13 delegates from 10 Paris-based organizations and businesses. Four of the local companies were visiting the Korean market for the first time.

The Paris Region Tourism Board has been conducting direct roadshows in South Korea since 2024, and this year marked the third edition. The workshop featured updates on Paris tourism trends and new offerings, followed by one-on-one business meetings between Korean travel agencies and Paris-based operators.

Overview of the 2026 Paris Region Workshop in Seoul [Atout France]

According to the Paris Île-de-France Regional Tourism Board, approximately 267,000 Korean visitors traveled to the region last year, a 5 percent increase from the previous year, accounting for 9 percent of all Asian visitors. Overnight stays rose 26 percent to roughly 1.5 million nights, while tourism spending climbed 35 percent to approximately 286 million euros ($332 million) — equivalent to 11 percent of total tourism spending across Paris, reflecting the growing economic weight of the Korean market.

Korean tourists averaged 5.7 nights per stay, surpassing the overall international visitor average of 4.1 nights. Seventy-two percent of Korean visitors stayed four nights or more. A clear preference for upscale accommodation was also evident, with 51 percent choosing four-star or higher hotels.

Leisure and vacation travel accounted for the largest share of trip purposes at 67 percent, while business travel made up 15 percent and "bleisure" — combining business and leisure — accounted for 16 percent. Nearly all Korean visitors — 98 percent — visited museums, exhibitions, monuments or historic châteaux, while 61 percent went shopping and 60 percent visited parks or natural attractions, pointing to a travel pattern that blends culture, shopping and nature.

Seasonal variation was visible in this year's flight booking trends. Reservations for January through March fell 12 percent from the previous year, but bookings for May through October rose 25 percent, suggesting sustained peak-season demand from spring through autumn.

Paris has also been expanding its tourism infrastructure. The 2024 Olympics spurred improvements to the city's transport network, including an extension of Metro Line 14 that improved connections between Orly Airport and the city center. The CDG Express, set to open in 2027, will link Charles de Gaulle Airport to central Paris in about 20 minutes. Under the Grand Paris Express project, new lines will open in phases between 2026 and 2031.

Construction is underway on the Triangle Tower at the Parc des Expositions de la Porte de Versailles. The 180-meter, 42-story mixed-use building will combine office, hotel, retail and cultural functions, with a phased opening planned from late 2026 into early 2027.

The region's business tourism capacity has also grown. The Paris region now offers more than 2,000 seminar venues and 24 large-scale exhibition and convention facilities. Last year, it ranked second globally among cities hosting international congresses, according to the International Congress and Convention Association.

The hotel market has seen a wave of openings and renovations. Hotel Saxe and La Folie Barbizon opened as new properties, while Hotel de Sers and the Marriott Rive Gauche reopened after refurbishments. This spring, the five-star Bûs Palladium and the Marriott Champs-Élysées both reopened following renovations.

Cultural offerings are expanding as well. The Musée de la Vie Romantique in Montmartre has reopened, and the Fragonard perfume house has unveiled an immersive fragrance museum, the Théâtre du Parfum, near the Opéra Garnier. In the Paris suburb of Massy, the Pompidou Francilien is preparing to open. Disneyland Paris has added a new "Frozen" themed zone. A series of cultural events spotlighting Korea is also planned to mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France in 2026.

The Paris Île-de-France region welcomed approximately 49.19 million visitors last year. International arrivals rose 3 percent from the previous year, and tourism revenue reached a record high of approximately 23.6 billion euros — up 1 percent from 2024 and 8 percent from 2019.

"The Paris region has evolved beyond a destination you simply visit — it has become a place where travelers stay, feel and experience," said Ingrid Archikian, head of leisure and promotion at the Paris Region Tourism Board. "We will offer Korean travelers richer cultural tourism content, drawing on the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations and the centenary of Claude Monet's death in 2026."

terry@heraldcorp.com