If the post-pandemic scenario has shown anything, it is that for major tourist destinations there is a greater threat than rising prices, rising accommodation prices or even extreme heat waves, and it threatens to redraw the map and the dynamics of the sector. The greatest danger awaiting them is to die of success. This is happening in Barcelona, ​​​​Venice or Amsterdam, where residents openly show their discomfort with overcrowding. In order to stop the influx of visitors in one of its most popular neighborhoods, a radical measure has been decided to be implemented in Seoul: a curfew.

And that’s not the only strategy they’ll be pursuing.

The essence of Seoul. Seoul is a cosmopolitan, modern city with an impressive skyline of skyscrapers up to 550 meters, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t have places where its past and traditions are revealed. A clear example of this is Bukchon Hanok Village, a neighborhood where it is possible to walk among the country’s typical houses. HanokDating back to the 14th century, Bukchon is also spread over a central area not far from the royal Jongmyo Shrine and the popular Gyeongbokgung and Changdeokgung palaces.

Traditional… and a busy destinationIts sights and attractions have turned Bukchon Hanok Village into a magnet for tourists who flock to its streets every day to marvel at the sights. Hanok. And in this case, the tide is quite true to reality. It is estimated that 6.4 million tourists pass through the region each year, and by 2023 this number will reach 6.6 million, both from other parts of South Korea and from abroad. In practice, this means about 18,000 visitors per day.

The thing is, Bukchon isn’t all about tourism. If the neighborhood retains its charm, it’s largely because people continue to live there — about 6,000, according to CNN. The area also has shops, inns, craft shops and cafes. Living together isn’t always easy.

Newspaper Korea JoongAng Daily He says last year, district officials received 202 complaints from neighbors who were bothered by visitors’ behavior, disorder, filth and inappropriately parked vehicles. The problem is not new. In fact, in 2018, signs in four languages ​​were already installed asking visitors to keep the noise down during their visit.

one step furtherNow the local government has gone a step further. Or several, depending on how you look at it. Aware of the friction between locals and the avalanche of tourists, they decided to implement the Tourism Promotion Law and designate the neighborhood as a “special management area,” the first in the country, CNN reported.

Although it may seem like a bureaucratic procedure, the measure will be accompanied by a series of actions aimed at controlling the flow of visitors: buses rented by tourists will be restricted from passing through certain areas and the area will be divided into three zones, with different colors: red, orange and yellow, so that authorities can manage movement and focus on the busiest streets. The imposition of fines is also being considered for the plan to be effective.

Centering the focus. Korea JoongAng Daily He notes that the Jongno District Office, to which Bukchon Hanok belongs, has already made a move: days ago it covered an area of ​​279 acres (equivalent to about 113 hectares) that includes parts of the Samcheong-dong and Gahoe neighborhoods of the park-dong “special control” zone.

The unique color code red is assigned to the Bujchon-ro 11-gil area, where most of the people are located. Hanok and supports the biggest tourist push. The idea is to start testing the new rules in October, but it will take months for residents to see them fully implemented. For example, some bus stops are planned to be removed in January.

Curfew (for tourists). But the toughest measure would be another. As part of their program, Seoul authorities plan to implement a strict visitation schedule in the “red zone” of Bukchon Hanok Village, the busiest and most popular with visitors, starting in March. Visitors will be banned from the area between 5 p.m. and 10 a.m.

And this will definitely be done. Those who ignore the veto will face a fine of 100,000 won (about $72). Given the unusual features of the norm, there are already many national and international media talking about a “curfew” for tourists. In the orange and yellow zones, there will be technicians assigned to control activity, but there will be no time control.

The “curfew” has caused a stir, but Bukchon Hanok Village is also skeptical. That’s because authorities appear to be following the traditions tourists already have when setting schedules, so closing the neighborhood from afternoon to early morning won’t require major changes. “Visitors leave at five in the afternoon in the winter and six in the summer because the days are longer,” cafe owner Lee Youn-hee told CNN Travel.

The great dilemma of mass tourismSeoul isn’t the only city to take action against the influx of tourists, a practice increasingly common in major international destinations that aim to tie their success among visitors into the daily lives of their residents. Amsterdam has even launched a campaign to keep the most pesky visitors away, Venice has decided to impose a new tourist tax, Kyoto has cracked down on “paparazzi tourists” in the geisha district, and Japan is set to launch a campaign to climb Mount Fuji via its most popular route.

Images | Domenico Convertini (Flickr), ROFAD (Flickr) and Tom Page (Flickr)

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