The Goyang International Expo Foundation (CEO Lee Chang-hyun) announced that the 2026 Goyang International Flower Expo achieved its best performance since COVID-19, recording a distinct growth trend across major indicators such as the number of paid visitors, local flower sales, industrial business, experiential content, and public transportation traffic.
Successful Transformation into an “Expo to Stay and Participate” with 34 Visitors
Approximately 34 paying visitors attended this year's flower expo, marking a 6.3% growth compared to the previous year. The Foundation analyzed that the increase in visitors and the revitalization of the site were driven by a shift away from traditional flower exhibition-centered operations to a transition from a "flower expo to be viewed" to an "exhibition to stay and participate in," achieved by expanding stay-type and participatory content. In particular, various contents such as "Pengsoo's Flower Play Garden" and "Nostalgic Alley Garden" were found to have had a positive impact on increasing the influx of family visitors and the MZ generation.
Flower store sales more than double... Expanding regional win-win achievements
Significant achievements were also seen in the fields of regional co-prosperity and flower sales. The flower sales area expanded both visitor flow and on-site consumption simultaneously by implementing an open, two-way circulation system that allows visitors to naturally access the store from any direction and strengthening content linked to local flower farms. As a result, total sales increased by 101%—more than double—compared to the previous year, contributing to an increase in the actual income of local farmers.
Business consultations also more than doubled… Strengthening the floriculture industry platform function
Growth in the industry and business sectors was also notable. The number of business consultations increased by 107.1% from 70 last year to 145 this year, and the consultation value also rose by 48.2% year-on-year, leading to an assessment that the foundation has strengthened its function as a leading domestic flower business platform. The foundation explained that it has reinforced its role as a platform that generates both industrial exchange and tangible business results by inviting overseas buyers and expanding exchanges among domestic and international flower industry stakeholders.
Expansion of multi-sensory experiential content… Revenue increases by 68.9%
The performance of experiential content operations was also notable. Moving away from traditional viewing-centered exhibitions, the Foundation expanded multi-sensory experiential content, simultaneously improving the quality of the viewing experience and stimulating on-site consumption. As a result, total revenue from experiential content increased by 68.9% compared to the previous year. This indicates an expansion of consumption patterns in which visitors directly spend on experiential, educational, and participatory content, and is considered an indicator demonstrating the potential for future expansion of paid experiential and revenue-generating content.
Increase in public transportation ridership… Confirmation of urban revitalization and eco-friendly low-carbon effects
The urban revitalization effect was also confirmed in terms of traffic and inflow. Subway ridership during the event period increased by approximately 6.3% compared to the previous year, and it was found that there was a concentrated influx of visitors from outside during the expo. The foundation explained that through this, they were able to confirm not only the revitalization of Ilsan Lake Park and nearby commercial areas, but also the promotion of public transportation use and the effectiveness of operating an eco-friendly, low-carbon event.
Differentiating the “Goyang-style Floriculture and MICE Convergence Model”
Furthermore, this year's flower expo is evaluated as having distinguished itself as a 'Goyang-style floriculture and MICE convergence model' by generating complex economic effects—including not only visitor influx but also on-site consumption, industry consultations, content revenue, and the revitalization of public transportation—compared to major domestic flower and garden festivals.
Lee Chang-hyun, CEO of the Goyang International Expo Foundation, stated, “We anticipate that the 2026 Goyang International Flower Expo will generate an economic impact of approximately 1,280 billion won.” He added, “In addition to the performance analysis research currently being conducted by external professional organizations, we are also conducting an internal performance analysis. By comprehensively analyzing these results, we will strive to further strengthen global competitiveness and enhance the operation of the expo in the future.”
