How will Korea use regional airports to attract foreign tourists beyond Seoul?

The government plans to build five tourism zones around airports in Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Muan and Yangyang, backed by 410 billion won, deregulation and AI. Chae said customized routes from provincial airports would be designed around travelers’ ages and preferences, while improving connections to local destinations.

Why does Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young want domestic travel platforms to attract more foreign visitors?

Chae said many foreign visitors book Korea trips through overseas platforms, while domestic platforms have richer local data but do not seamlessly capture that demand. The government is exploring support for local companies to bring more of the resulting tourism activity into the domestic economy and to compete more fairly with large global online travel agencies.

What changes to Korea’s departure tax did Chae Hwi-young propose?

Chae called for broad departure-tax reforms to bring Korea’s framework in line with international standards. She cited departure fees of 20,000 to 30,000 won in major destination countries as a reason Korea should adjust its tax upward.

Korea eyes 30 mil. tourists with regional push

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Summary

Culture Minister Chae Hwi-young said Wednesday in Seoul that Korea is preparing to welcome 30 million foreign visitors by shifting tourism growth beyond Seoul and into regional areas. Foreign arrivals have already surpassed the 18.94 million recorded for all of 2025, and the government plans to develop five tourism zones around provincial airports. Chae said the strategy will focus on local economic benefits, visitor experience and addressing overtourism. The ministry also plans to use major international events next year to showcase regional destinations.

Key Facts

The government raised its 2027 tourism budget to 1.756 trillion won, a 19 percent increase from this year.
The five planned regional tourism zones are centered on airports in Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Muan and Yangyang.
The government will support the zones with 410 billion won in funding, deregulation and artificial intelligence technology.
Chae said departure fees in major destination countries generally range from 20,000 won to 30,000 won and called for Korea to raise its departure tax.
The ministry plans to use next year’s World Youth Day and Summer World University Games to promote regional destinations.

By Baek Byung-yeul

Published Oct 28, 2026 2:53 pm KST

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.

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