Naver keeps Google in check over map service for tourists

As Google again seeks access to Korea’s high-precision map data for Google Maps, the country's portal giant Naver is striving to maintain its edge with foreign users, rolling out a new tourist-friendly campaign. The BE LOCAL campaign, which will run from Monday through May 13, introduces restaurants, cafes, fashion stores and cultural spaces trending among local young people in popular tourist areas such as Myeong-dong, Seongsu-dong, Itaewon and Hannam-dong. With the feature, tourists will be able to quickly see restaurants, attractions, and activity spots that local users in their 20s and 30s most frequently saved on the map. As part of the campaign, the company collaborated with popular fashion, cosmetic and lifestyle brands among foreigners like Olive Young, Innisfree and Musinsa to offer discount coupons on the platform. Beginning in May, it will also give out limited-edition BE LOCAL campaign merchandise to users who download the map’s app and visit collaborating brands. "Naver Map is a platform that best understands Korea's latest trends based on the country's largest location