Linking Walkable Urbanism and Hiking Tourism in a Mountainous Metropolitan City

Abstract

Mountains in metropolitan cities serve as fundamental features that shape urban landscapes. When incorporated into leisure contexts, mountain resources enhance community well-being and contribute to tourism. However, existing studies rarely address urban mountain tourism within the broader context of political implementation or its role in sustainable urban development. This study explores Seoul, a mountainous city that is experiencing a growing interest in hiking tourism among foreign visitors. Two approaches were used in this study. First, institutional narratives at the national and municipal levels were analyzed to understand how mountain leisure was promoted within sustainable urban agendas around the new millennium. Official documents reveal that the city has been developing pedestrian-centered urban regeneration and promoting welfare provision through urban greening strategies. Second, 8862 hiking reviews posted by international tourists on AllTrail were analyzed to identify the experiential attributes. The findings confirm that accessibility and aesthetics are the dominant attractions for hiking tourism in Seoul. Accessibility stems from pedestrian-centered development, whereas aesthetics reflect strategies that promote nature-based leisure for urban residents. This study suggests that hiking tourism in the metropolitan context has practical implications for integrating mountain resources into sustainable city planning.