“Artificial intelligence (AI) goes beyond just being a simple technology; it plays a role in the consolidation of every moment of travel and personalizing the journey. During the golden era of K-pop, Korea has the opportunity to convey more of its brands and emotions. It is important to actively utilize technology for this opportunity.”
Nuno Guerreiro, Booking.com Director for North Asia and the Pacific, met with ChosunBiz on the 16th at the ‘2025 Consumer and Retail Forum’ held at the Westin Chosun Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, and noted, “We will focus on understanding consumer behavior and providing tailored services through generative AI.”
He said, “K-pop and K-food are driving the demand for travel to Korea,” adding, “Booking.com will focus on providing hyper-personalized travel experiences through AI and data-driven innovation while consolidating unique experiences between global customers and Korea.”
Starting as a startup in Amsterdam, Netherlands, in 1996, Booking.com has grown into a global digital travel platform that offers over 29 million accommodation options in 45 languages. Recently, as global interest in Korean culture has increased with K-pop and K-food, searches related to K-pop on the platform have reportedly increased by 20% compared to the previous year. The demand for reservations in K-pop related areas such as Seoul and Busan has shown an annual growth rate of 30-40%, and the number of international travelers visiting Korea for music festivals or performances is steadily increasing.
Director Guerreiro explained, “There is a surge in demand for event-based travel such as K-pop concerts, K-food events, and K-drama filming locations,” and added, “We are actively developing tailored content and tourism products to match this.” In fact, Booking.com has launched packages related to the Korean Wave, such as the ‘Ultimate K-pop Experience,’ absorbing the travel demand from Hallyu fans.
Booking.com has applied AI technology across its platform for over a decade. Recently, it has introduced ‘smart filters’ and ‘AI trip planner’ features utilizing generative AI and machine learning to provide travelers with hyper-personalized experiences. For instance, when a user inputs conditions like ‘an Amsterdam hotel with a rooftop bar overlooking the canal,’ AI applies a customized filter from the databases to recommend the best accommodations. Users can see the desired results immediately without complex filter settings.
Additionally, AI provides real-time answers to detailed questions such as ‘Is there an electric vehicle charging station?’ and ‘Are large dogs allowed?’ and summarizes key information such as parking, breakfast, and accessibility by analyzing accommodation reviews. A review summary function is also under testing. Director Guerreiro stated, “The more frequently Booking.com is used, the more accurately AI understands user preferences and provides tailored results.”
Released in the U.S. in 2023, the AI trip planner has expanded to the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Singapore. It allows users to design the entire travel process, including travel destination recommendations, itinerary planning, and real-time adjustments to schedules, in a conversational manner. Director Guerreiro noted, “The AI trip planner is just one of several AI features that will be introduced in the future,” adding, “Once the free-form search feature is introduced, users will be able to input their desired destinations or accommodation conditions conversationally to receive tailored results.”
Based on these technological innovations, Booking.com is pursuing a ‘Connected Trip’ super app strategy that provides all steps of the travel process, from search and booking to payment and travel management, on a single integrated platform. This structure resolves all aspects of travel, including accommodation reservations, flights, transportation, rental cars, and local activities, within one platform.
Director Guerreiro stated, “For small and medium tourism brands or local accommodation providers in Korea to effectively consolidate with global customers through Booking.com, it is crucial to curate unique experiences and locations and to reflect customer requests in real-time.” Booking.com is strengthening a collaborative model that communicates customer pre-requisites in real time to partners through its customer service and app.
He said, “Customers always want flexibility and a variety of options,” and added, “Booking.com will continue to invest and strive to ensure that customers can experience the world in the way they desire through technological innovation.”