Korea, China partner to showcase tourism beyond Seoul
Chinese group tourists await instructions from their travel guide in the Terminal 1 arrivals hall at Incheon International Airport after landing in Korea, Aug. 15, 2023. Yonhap
Korea and China are launching their first joint travel industry exchange, aiming to draw international visitors away from the capital’s primary tourist hubs and into the country's historic regional centers.
The initiative, led by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism alongside the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Association of Travel Agents, kicked off Thursday in Incheon before moving to the historic city of Andong.
The campaign comes as Korea seeks to address long-standing geographical imbalances in inbound travel.
Although foreign arrivals continue to grow, the overwhelming majority of international tourists remain heavily concentrated in Seoul and the southern resort island of Jeju. This imbalance leaves provinces struggling with economic stagnation and rural population decline, even as regional infrastructure stands ready. Because China remains Korea's largest source market for group travel, bilateral cooperation represents a crucial lever for routing sustained visitor traffic directly into secondary markets.
The opening event in Incheon brings together roughly 200 industry representatives, including executives from the China Association of Travel Services and 50 major outbound travel agencies from China, to partner directly with Korean travel providers. The ministry aims to open concrete sales channels for 68 curated tour packages, spanning regional themes from traditional heritage and K-beauty to wellness and outdoor recreation.
The focus shifts Friday to a regional tourism mart at the international convention center in Andong, a historic city in southeastern Korea.
Seven provincial governments — including Gangwon, North Gyeongsang and North Jeolla provinces — will present travel itineraries built around regional international airports, targeting foreign tourists who want to explore beyond Seoul. The event coincides with a weeklong promotional tour for 120 Chinese travel executives and journalists across destinations such as Jeju, Busan, Gyeongju and Danyang.
Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young will attend Friday’s Korea-China Tourism Night in Andong to emphasize private sector cooperation in reaching a goal of 10 million annual cross-border visits between the two nations. Chae is also inspecting local tourism infrastructure and Chuseok holiday market prices across Andong, visiting landmarks such as the Byeongsan Seowon Confucian Academy, Hahoe Village and the traditional Hahoe Seonyu Julbul Nori fire festival.
To support the expansion, the government has proposed a record tourism budget of 1.75 trillion won ($1.3 billion) for 2027, a 19 percent increase over current spending. The funds will directly target regional airport tourism zones, hotel construction loans and local holiday support programs in rural areas facing population decline.
"With Korea gaining attention as an irreplaceable destination, this is a crucial moment to show the distinct appeal of our regions beyond Seoul," Chae said. "Through close collaboration between national and local governments, as well as cross-border industry partners, we aim to build an ecosystem where international visitors travel deeper into the country and stay longer."
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.