Call for Applications for '2026 Excellent Seoul Stay': Safety and Resident Harmony Now Key Evaluation Criteria

Open Call Until June 24, Up to 20 Winners to Be Selected
Safety and Fire Evaluations with Expert Participation
Efforts to Prevent Resident Inconvenience Are Also Key Criteria

The Seoul Metropolitan Government is launching a search for representative accommodations to showcase the city's charm to the world.

From June 8 to June 24, the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization will hold an open call for the “2026 Excellent Seoul Stay” program, carefully selecting accommodations that embody the unique beauty and character of Seoul.

Seoul Stay is a lodging brand initiative launched by the Seoul Metropolitan Government in 2013 to encourage the registration and boost the operational capabilities of foreign tourist city home-stays and Hanok experience inns.

Among accommodations registered as foreign tourist city home-stays or Hanok experience inns, those that complete an additional registration process have been offered a variety of benefits, including multilingual translation services, promotional and marketing support, and educational programs.

The selection process consists of a first-round document review followed by a second-round on-site evaluation. The final results will be announced on August 7 via the Seoul Stay website.

This year, in order to foster a safe lodging environment, the weight of safety and fire-related evaluations will be increased, and safety experts will participate in the on-site evaluations. Additionally, efforts to minimize inconvenience for residents—such as noise management and household waste management—will also be major evaluation criteria to ensure harmony between tourists and local residents.

The city plans to select up to 20 Excellent Seoul Stay accommodations this year. Selected businesses will receive support funds of up to 5 million won, which can be used to improve operations as well as for publicity and marketing.

In addition to the support funds, selected Excellent Seoul Stay businesses will be awarded a plaque certifying their status as outstanding accommodations. They will also benefit from a variety of perks, including promotional opportunities in connection with major events organized by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Organization.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.