Case Study - 2026
South Korea
Observing the visitor experience through the lens of accessibility.
A field-based case study exploring how accessibility, information and real-world experiences can shape the way a destination is perceived and experienced.
Why this case study?
A destination can be accessible without appearing accessible.
South Korea offers a unique context for exploring how a destination can be experienced through different perspectives.
This case study brings together pre-trip information analysis, conversations with tourism professionals and field observation across Seoul, Busan and Gyeongju.
The objective is not to determine whether a destination is « accessible » or « not accessible ». It is to observe how accessibility is perceived, understood and experienced in real life, and what this can reveal about the wider visitor experience.
What we looked at
The experience was observed through several complementary perspectives.
Before the trip
What information is available and what can a visitor understand before arriving?
On the ground
What does the visitor actually encounter once there?
Professional perspectives
What do tourism professionals know, provide and communicate?
Lived experience
How does the destination feel and function from the visitor’s point of view?
The wider journey
How do information, mobility, services, transitions and solutions connect throughout the experience?
A concrete example
Sometimes, the solution already exists.
During a walk of approximately 2.4km between Apgujeong and Banpo Bridge, an accessible visitor solution was discovered on site: a free visitor shuttle.
The issue was therefore not necessarily the absence of a solution.
The opportunity was in understanding how visible, findable and connected that solution was within the visitor journey.
"What already exists and what does the visitor actually know about it?"
What this reveals
Accessibility is not an isolated topic.
Looking through the lens of accessibility can reveal much more than accessibility itself. It can highlight how:
- Information is communicated and found
- solutions are made visible
- mobility and transitions shape the journey
- services connect with one another
- the experience changes between what is intended and what is actually lived
The wider question is not only « Is it accessible? ». It is:
"How does the visitor experience it?"
From field observation to opportunity
Look beyond what is design or communicated
A destination is experienced through a succession of moments, choices, discoveries and interactions.
Field observation helps reveal the gaps, connections and opportunities that may not be visible from the offer alone.
This is the perspective Just Be Curious brings to tourism and hospitality projects.
Discover the full case study
Want to explore the observations in more detail?
Read the full South Korea case study, including the field observations, examples and insights behind this perspective.
Accessibility is our lens. Visitor experience is our field.