Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching a tourism technology pilot that will apply generative AI, location-based audio guides and automated booking tools to traditional Korean heritage and wellness experiences.
The initiative is designed to address a recurring challenge for international visitors: access to cultural experiences that require language support, contextual explanation and clear reservation processes. While Seoul continues to benefit from global interest in Korean popular culture, more specialist experiences such as Buddhist temple stays, monastic food, meditation and traditional Korean medicine can be harder for overseas guests to access independently.
For destination managers, cultural institutions and visitor experience suppliers, the project is a useful example of how public bodies can use startup partnerships to improve visitor services around heritage assets. Rather than creating new attractions, Seoul is applying digital tools to existing cultural settings where interpretation and booking complexity can limit participation.
Startups Selected From Competitive Process
The city has selected three startups from 78 applicants, following a competitive process aimed at pairing tourism challenges with practical technology solutions. The programme is being developed with two major cultural partners: the Jogye Order of Korean Buddhism, the country’s largest Buddhist sect, and the Seoul Korean Medicine Association.
Sweet & Data will introduce generative AI kiosks and media art features that provide personalised multilingual explanations of Buddhist rituals, temple architecture and related cultural content. Tobelist will apply GPS-enabled audio guide software to temple stay settings, offering automated translation and location-aware interpretation.
Trip Supporters will focus on traditional Korean medicine, developing an online-to-offline platform that supports foreign patients through reservation management and AI-assisted treatment cost estimates.
For B2B stakeholders, the structure of the pilot is notable. It brings together municipal funding, cultural access, private technology development and sector-specific knowledge. This type of model can reduce risk for heritage partners while giving startups real-world test environments.
Heritage Sites Gain Practical Digital Support
The pilot responds to a clear operational issue. Traditional and spiritual tourism experiences often require more explanation than standard attractions. Guests may need to understand etiquette, treatment processes, timing, terminology and cultural context before and during a visit.
AI kiosks and multilingual audio tools can provide this support without placing all pressure on front-line staff. For temple sites, location-based audio guides may also help manage visitor flow by delivering information at relevant points across the site. In traditional medicine settings, booking and cost-estimate tools can reduce uncertainty and improve communication before arrival.
These systems are especially relevant for destinations seeking higher-value cultural tourism. When technology reduces friction, visitors can engage with experiences that might otherwise feel difficult to approach.
Public Sector Support And Evaluation
The project is supported by 100 million won in municipal funding, equivalent to about $75,000. Participating startups will also receive business development support and marketing assistance.
Field testing is expected to begin in October at selected locations across Seoul. City officials plan to conduct an interim review in late October, followed by final evaluations in late November. The results will guide decisions on wider commercial rollout.
The measured trial structure gives Seoul an opportunity to assess usability, visitor response, operational fit and partner readiness before expanding the services. For public tourism authorities, this provides a model for testing innovation in sensitive heritage environments without committing immediately to full-scale deployment.
Relevance For Destination And Experience Teams
Seoul’s programme reflects a wider shift in tourism development. Cities with strong cultural assets are looking beyond promotion and focusing on practical access, interpretation and service design.
For museums, heritage operators, wellness destinations and cultural attraction teams, the pilot shows how AI can support multilingual engagement when applied to clear visitor needs. It also underlines the importance of partnerships between technology companies and subject specialists, particularly when working with spiritual, historic or medical content.
If successful, the initiative could give Seoul a stronger platform for heritage-led tourism, while offering other destinations a replicable approach to using digital tools in complex cultural settings.
