97% of Koreans plan trips meticulously — yet say unexpected moments are what they remember most

Airbnb is launching a brand campaign aimed at encouraging travelers to step away from the pressure of packed itineraries and rediscover the value of resting at their own pace. The campaign proposes a new travel paradigm centered on the stay itself rather than a rigid schedule.

The company unveiled the campaign Friday, titled "Perfectly Imperfect Trip," along with a campaign film narrated by broadcaster Choi Hwa-jung. The campaign invites travelers to move away from meticulously planned itineraries and experience travel in a way that is fully and authentically their own.

A survey on travel styles and attitudes conducted by Airbnb and market research firm Embrain found that Korean travelers tend to prioritize efficiency and planning even on vacation. Ninety-seven percent of respondents said they make plans before a trip, and nearly half said they research restaurants and tourist attractions in advance to build a detailed itinerary.

Despite all that preparation, travel fatigue was widespread. Forty percent of respondents said they came back more worn out from a trip meant for rest, and 55 percent said they feel guilty doing nothing during a trip because it seems like a waste of time and money. Another 48 percent said they evaluate how productively they spent their time after returning home.

Yet the moments travelers actually remember rarely followed the plan. About 60 percent cited "a place stumbled upon by chance or an unexpected experience" as their most memorable travel moment, while only 20 percent chose "an itinerary that went exactly as planned." Eighty-two percent agreed that things not going according to plan can make for better memories. The findings reveal a gap in how Koreans think about travel: they prize planning, but in fact draw the most satisfaction from unplanned experiences.

How travelers prefer to rest also varied. Fifty-three percent said they prefer spending time at their accommodation over going out, with key activities including resting without worrying about others' perceptions, cooking with local ingredients, and sharing common spaces with travel companions. Forty-seven percent preferred activities outside the accommodation.

The results suggest that for many travelers, genuine rest on a trip lies not in movement or scheduled activities but in the experience of staying put.

Airbnb said the campaign reflects this shift. The company said it builds on its existing message — "Travel is about living in a place" — by proposing a style of travel free from perfectionism.

The campaign film captures the spirit of unhurried rest over schedule-driven sightseeing, with Choi delivering lines including: "You don't need to hustle even when you're on vacation," and "Maybe the most perfect day is one where you give your all to doing absolutely nothing."

"When life gets busy, even travel starts to feel like homework you have to get through on schedule," Choi said. "I connected with this campaign's message because it's about setting down that burden and truly savoring the moment. I hope that this summer, people will give themselves permission to travel a little loosely — to be at ease and happy, just as they are, at an Airbnb."

The campaign film will air as a television advertisement, and Choi is scheduled to appear on the YouTube channel "Vivo TV" on June 17 to talk about travel.

Seo Ga-yeon, Airbnb Korea's country manager, said the campaign was designed for Korean travelers who feel pressure to make every trip perfect. "We wanted to offer them a different kind of rest — one that fills the gaps in the itinerary with the simple pleasure of staying," she said. "This summer vacation season, we hope people will find spaces on Airbnb where they can truly slow down, rest at their own pace, and experience firsthand what it means to have a perfectly imperfect trip."