There has been a tremendous increase in the number of tourists who visit South Korea in recent times. Seoul especially has received a massive number of these vacationists due to many factors. Apart from being a lively economic powerhouse, Seoul is a extremely happening city.
It is indeed a city that truly never sleeps. Tourists come to Seoul to experience life in South Korea. The attractions are endless. From the fantastic food to the fascinating culture, from a thriving nightlife to tech-savvy innovations, from affordability to ancient culture.
Seoul unarguably is an exciting blend of the old and the new. However, in spite of all these great attractions to tourists, research has shown that majority of these visitors do not return to Seoul.
Consequently, the rate of repeated visits to Korea has decreased over the years. The reason for the decrease is that travelers to Seoul, have experienced one travel scam or the other and this has been a major shortcoming of what would have been a perfect tourist spot.
In this post I’ll tell you about the common travel scams in Seoul. This will help you to avoid these tourist traps if you find yourself in Seoul, South Korea.
Illegal taxis – The first scam you should be aware of as a tourist in Seoul is illegal taxis without meters. The primary objective of the operators is to rip off unsuspecting vacationists. Korean taxi drivers are for the most part honest people, but some are out to exploit the foreigners. Use services like Uber.
Overpriced goods for foreigners – Another prevalent scam tourists experience in Seoul is the inflation of the price of goods. You may discover that you would have to pay more than the Korean friend because you are a foreigner. At times, the locals do not put a price tag on the items as a result of this making the tourist to negotiate the price. In such situation, the foreigner ends up paying more than the store price.
Getting a decent affordable accommodation – You need to be cautious when you book accommodation online because what you see on the internet may not be as pleasant in reality. There have been situations in which tourists book lodging only for them to arrive in Seoul and not find the house with the address. When such tourist contacts the guest house owner, he might be taken a different property that is not as nice as the one he booked. There have also been situations where a guest house is advertised as a modernized hotel.
To sum it up – South Korea, most notably Seoul is undeniably a great place to visit. However, make certain to avoid the above listed travel scams associated with this beautiful city. Caution and due diligence are needed so that you can have the fantastic time you dream of having in Seoul. Blend in with the crowd, print Korean svg files free onto your t-shirt and wear them when you go sightseeing.
Investigate any hotel or guest house before booking online. On your arrival, ascertain that the taxi has a meter and it’s not illegal. Most importantly, don’t rush to pay for goods without price tags. Negotiate as much as possible to get a lower price. Enjoy your trip!
