Naver Launches BE LOCAL Campaign to Guide Foreign Tourists

Seoul, South Korea - Naver has initiated a campaign to introduce foreign tourists to popular local destinations through its map application, the company said on Monday.

The "BE LOCAL" campaign will run from April 14 to May 13.

It will target users with foreign language settings on the Naver Map app.

The timing coincides with Japan's Golden Week holiday (April 29-May 6) when foreign tourism in South Korea reaches annual peak levels.

According to Naver, the campaign showcases restaurants, cafes, fashion outlets, and cultural venues in tourist areas such as Myeongdong, Seongsu, Itaewon, and Hannam-dong.

Korean users frequently visit in their 20s and 30s.

A dedicated "BE LOCAL" tab within the Naver Map application displays eating establishments, attractions, and activities most commonly saved by young Korean users.

The company stated that the initiative features partnerships with brands popular among foreign visitors.

The app will provide discount coupons for Olive Young, Innisfree, Musinsa, and SK Telecom stores. 

At the same time, limited-edition promotional items will be available to app users who visit partner locations beginning in May.

Naver Map, which launched its multilingual version in 2018, utilizes the company's Papago AI translation technology to translate Korean reviews and place filters into English, Chinese, and Japanese.

In December, the company introduced a "Naver Map Utilization Guide" page that provides multilingual instructions for location discovery and public transportation navigation.

In the first half of 2025, Naver plans enhancements to its payment service to improve foreign users' reservation, ordering, and payment capabilities.