Naver has introduced 'Trend,' a travel information service tailored for foreign tourists, into its artificial intelligence (AI) translation service 'Papago.' The strategy is to increase the service's usefulness during travel by combining translation functions that lower language barriers with recommendations for popular Korean products and tourist attractions.

Naver announced on the 19th that it has added the 'Trend' service to the Papago app to help foreign visitors to Korea more conveniently explore Korean products and tourist destinations.

■ Recommending Products and Places of Interest Based on Image Translation Data

Trend operates by analyzing foreign users' image translation data to select and recommend products and places attracting high interest. Its distinguishing feature is that it identifies users' interests related to travel in Korea based on information they actually confirmed while using the translation function. Unlike typical search-based recommendation services, it is structured to show items of high interest by analyzing how foreigners translate the products and places they encounter in Korea.

In the product category, it introduces 100 popular products as well as products that have recently gained attention. Information is organized by fields such as beauty, food, and health, allowing foreign tourists to browse for products of interest.

■ Support for Four Languages Including English, Japanese, and Chinese

Using the service is simple. Users whose smartphone device language is set to a foreign language can access the service through the Trend button located in the upper right corner of the Papago app. Supported languages are English, Japanese, and simplified and traditional Chinese—four languages in total. This allows users of major foreign languages to check information on Korean products and travel in their native language environment.

■ Beyond Translation to Travel Information Exploration…Connectivity Is Key

With this feature, Papago's service area has expanded from its existing translation-centered focus to travel information exploration. In effect, recommendation functions based on translation usage data have been integrated into the process by which tourists decide what to buy and where to visit in Korea.

However, the frequency of image translation use does not necessarily lead to actual purchases or visits. How much interest in recommended products and places connects to actual consumption and tourism demand remains to be seen as the service operates.

Papago's latest change is notable in that translation services are expanding beyond simple language conversion tools to support travelers' information exploration. Going forward, connectivity with shopping, location search, and reservation services is expected to determine the convenience of foreign users.

[The actual features provided, supported languages, and usage environment may vary depending on the app version and service operation policies.]