Korea eyes 30 mil. tourists with regional push
Foreign tourists walk around a paper installation of an ancient city gate in Suwon, south of Seoul, Oct. 11. Yonhap
Korea is working to open an era of 30 million foreign visitors by shifting its tourism focus from Seoul to regional areas, Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said Wednesday.
Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young speaks during a press conference in Seoul, Wednesday. Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
"An unprecedented future has already arrived and Korea is fully preparing to welcome 30 million and eventually 40 million overseas travelers," Chae said during a press conference in Seoul.
"To ensure that regional tourism genuinely drives local economies, we will manage not just the total number of inbound visitors, but also focus on qualitative growth while actively addressing overtourism concerns."
The country's tourism sector is currently riding a wave of record-breaking growth, with cumulative foreign tourist arrivals surpassing the 2025 annual total of 18.94 million as of Tuesday.
Despite global challenges like high oil prices, inflation and the Middle East conflict, the ministry credited K-culture popularity, industry innovation and local hospitality for the steady growth.
To sustain this upward momentum, the government has boosted its 2027 budget for the tourism sector to 1.756 trillion won ($1.31 billion), a 19 percent increase from this year.
Key to the strategy is developing five regional tourism zones around provincial airports in Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Muan and Yangyang, supported by 410 billion won in government funds, deregulation and artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
On the concentration of overseas travelers in Seoul and the need for better transportation networks, Chae pointed out the gap between domestic and global travel services.
"Many foreign visitors rely on overseas platforms when booking trips to Korea, while domestic platforms hold richer local data but fail to capture this rising demand seamlessly," Chae said. "We are exploring ways to support domestic companies so they can bring foreign tourist demand back into our local economy. By building customized travel routes around provincial airports, we aim to offer smooth travel experiences tailored to different age groups and preferences."
Chae also stressed the importance of AI and fair competition, promising to help domestic travel firms overcome industry hurdles.
"AI is showing its power in both customer service and behind-the-scenes operations, making digital transformation essential for the tourism industry," Chae said. "While it is hard to change market trends led by giant global online travel agencies, we are trying to ensure fair competition for local companies."
On outdated regulatory frameworks, the minister called for sweeping reforms in departure tax to align with international standards.
"Looking at major destination countries, departure fees generally range between 20,000 won and 30,000 won, suggesting that Korea also needs to adjust its departure tax upwards," Chae said.
With major international events scheduled for next year, including the World Youth Day and the Summer World University Games, the ministry plans to leverage global gatherings to showcase the nation’s diverse regional charms and ensure a balanced, sustainable future for the tourism industry.