CreatripTeam

Gyeongju is preparing for the APEC summit (Oct 31–Nov 1) with wide-ranging infrastructure upgrades aimed at international visitors. Hotels — including 12 major properties — completed full room refurbishments covering 7,700 rooms and updated room service and concierge systems to meet international event standards. Taxis now feature QR-code bilingual interpretation systems for real-time driver–passenger conversation, and shuttle buses, translators at transport hubs, and 250 volunteers will support guest movement. Payment options were expanded with standard QR payment installed at about 20,000 merchants, cashback offers via the “Wowpass” service, and wider NFC support through apps like The Pay and NPay Connect so foreigners can pay without currency exchange. Maps and signage were standardized in multiple languages (English, Chinese, Japanese) with POI (point of interest) updates across platforms like Naver and Kakao, and local stays and businesses received safety, hygiene and marketing training. Officials say these changes aim to sustain Gyeongju’s status as a global tourism city even after APEC.