Barrier-free tourism gains ground in Korea

A participant rides a beach wheelchair during the Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) mudflat tour program in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, May 14. Courtesy of KTO

Korea’s tourism industry is increasingly shifting its focus toward barrier-free travel, as government agencies and local authorities expand programs designed to improve accessibility for seniors, people with disabilities and other travel-vulnerable groups amid growing demand for inclusive tourism experiences.

The push shows a broader recognition that tourism accessibility is no longer limited to physical infrastructure such as ramps or wheelchair paths, but is increasingly viewed as part of a wider social environment that determines whether all people can comfortably participate in travel and leisure activities.

“Barrier-free tourism is one of the basic conditions of an advanced society,” Han Sang-il, a professor from the Department of Hotel & Tourism Science at Daegu Catholic University, told The Korea Times. “A society can be evaluated by how well it cares for socially vulnerable people, and tourism should also be an area everyone can enjoy equally.”

The renewed attention comes as the government places greater emphasis on the tourism sector as a future growth industry. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and affiliated organizations have recently rolled out a series of projects aimed at broadening tourism access while encouraging regional travel and longer stays outside the Seoul metropolitan area.

Growing interest

Interest in accessible tourism has been rising, according to the Korea Tourism Organization’s (KTO) 2025 barrier free tourism awareness survey of 2,000 respondents including people with disabilities, seniors and families with young children.

The survey found that 53.3 percent were interested in barrier-free related travel products. Meanwhile, 75.9 percent said they had experienced inconvenience while traveling with mobility vulnerable groups, with transportation routes and mobility access cited as the biggest difficulties.

“People also need to broaden their understanding of barrier-free tourism,” a local tourism industry official said on condition of anonymity.

“It is not limited to wheelchair users. The category also includes pregnant women, families traveling with infants and elderly travelers, who often travel in larger groups. Because of this, accessible tourism can potentially become a high value-added industry if specialized services are properly developed.”

A wheelchair user gets off a lift during a tour of Mount Hwangmae in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province, to view spring blossoms, April 22. Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

Mudflat tour using beach wheelchairs

The KTO recently launched several accessibility-focused tourism programs under its Month of Visiting the Sea campaign in May.

One of the programs, titled “Together at the West Sea,” offers customized marine tourism courses for travelers with developmental problems and hearing, mobility and visual impairments in Incheon, Siheung, Ansan and Hwaseong. The program includes mudflat experiences using beach wheelchairs, cable car rides in Jebu Island and ecological tours around Maehyang-ri wetlands with specialized guides.

The organization is also operating tourism programs linked to marine museums and educational facilities in the greater Seoul area. Family-oriented stamp tours and seaside picnic programs combined with yacht experiences are being offered through November.

In another initiative, the KTO held a special travel event for travel-vulnerable groups at Mount Hwangmae County Park in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province, last month.

Visitors walk along a barrier-free deck path at Mount Hwangmae County Park in Hapcheon County, South Gyeongsang Province, famous for azalea flower fields in spring season, to attend a concert held near the mountaintop, April 22. Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

The mountainous park recently completed barrier-free upgrades allowing wheelchair users and elderly visitors to access azalea flower fields near the summit. Authorities installed accessible walking paths, wheelchair-friendly carts, renovated restrooms and mobility equipment rental stations as part of the project.

About 50 participants including people with disabilities and elderly travelers attended a special outdoor concert at the site on April 22. Hapcheon County and the Ulsan Metropolitan Government also provided accessible transportation support, including wheelchair lift vehicles.

The projects are part of the government’s broader open tourism destination initiative launched in 2015. More than 200 tourism sites nationwide have now been designated and upgraded under the program, according to the tourism organization.

Participants with visual impairments pose at Yeouido Park during a barrier-free spring flower tour program operated by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO), April 3. Courtesy of STO

What's available in Seoul

Accessibility efforts are also expanding in Seoul.

The Seoul Tourism Organization recently opened reservations for this year’s Danurim accessible vehicle rental service, which provides free transportation support for travelers with disabilities, seniors and families with infants.

The service includes a 29-seat accessible bus and six wheelchair-accessible minivans equipped with lifts and safety systems. Disabled travelers were given priority reservations this year to improve tourism participation opportunities for wheelchair users.

The tourism organization also recently completed a barrier-free spring flower tour program for visually impaired participants in collaboration with Yeongdeungpo District during the Yeouido Spring Flower Festival.

Participants experienced the festival through audio descriptions, tactile cherry blossom exhibits and sensory-based programs designed to help visitors with visual impairments engage with the environment beyond sight alone.

Expanding awareness, improving attitude

The growing number of programs reflects rising public interest in accessible tourism despite relatively low awareness levels overall. Industry experts say the challenge now lies in expanding awareness and improving the overall social atmosphere surrounding accessibility.

“The biggest barrier is not necessarily facilities or equipment,” Han said. “The most important factor is whether society warmly accepts people traveling with disabilities. Barrier-free tourism ultimately begins with people’s attitudes.”

He added that many local governments have recently begun investing more aggressively in accessibility programs, including tourism maps, dedicated travel courses, guide systems and workforce training programs.

Seen is a Danurim vehicle operated by the Seoul Tourism Organization (STO) designed to accommodate wheelchair users. Courtesy of STO

Cities such as Ulsan have actively fostered barrier-free tourism projects through local tourism foundations, while some other regions still show relatively limited policy interest depending on the priorities of local leadership, according to the professor.

“The willingness of local government leaders is very important,” he said. “Even if funding exists, accessibility projects do not move forward without genuine interest and understanding.”

Han also stressed that accessible tourism should not be treated simply as welfare spending for a specific group, but rather as a form of “social insurance” benefiting society as a whole.

“Anyone can become mobility vulnerable through aging or accidents,” he said. “Creating a society where people can continue enjoying daily life and tourism without fear or discomfort is ultimately something that protects everyone.”

The government’s recent tourism policies also increasingly connect accessibility with regional revitalization efforts.

Following a sharp rise in domestic travel demand during the May 1 Labor Day holiday period, the culture ministry has expanded projects such as discounted regional travel campaigns, local tourism vouchers and accommodation support programs targeting population-declining regions.

“Tourism is something everyone should be able to enjoy,” Han said. “The direction a society takes in caring for vulnerable people ultimately reflects the maturity of that society itself.”