Sayart.net - Korea Tourism Organization Focuses on Positioning Korea as a Premier Travel Destination

Efforts to Attract Young Overseas Travelers and Achieve 20 Million International Visitors in 2023

Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Culture, Sports, and Tourism Minister Yu In-chon, alongside Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) officials and 31 directors of KTO's overseas offices, emphasized the goal of making Korea a tourism powerhouse in a press conference in central Seoul. The focus for the year will be on creating appealing tourism products and hosting vibrant local festivals to showcase various facets of Korean culture. 

▲ Courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Minister Yu stressed the importance of branding all types of festivals, from well-established cultural and music events to smaller county-level celebrations, to attract global holidaymakers interested in Korea. Jin Jong-hwa, the regional executive director of KTO's China office, highlighted the changing travel trends among Chinese visitors. Individual and small-group travelers from China, particularly young tourists, now seek personal experiences, emphasizing Instagrammable moments and exploring locations like Seongsu-dong, known as the mecca of hipness in Seoul.

Director Kim Kyoung-joo from the London KTO noted a similar trend among young English travelers, emphasizing that the "Generation T" (young tourists aged 18 to 24) in the UK increasingly connect their hobbies with travel experiences.

Despite challenges such as visa issues for Vietnamese tourists and economic factors affecting Japanese travelers, KTO reported sustained interest in Korean tourism. The organization expects Japanese tourists to grow in the coming years, with Japan leading in the number of holidaymakers visiting Korea in 2023.

The Culture Ministry and KTO aim to launch a successful Visit Korea Year 2023-24 campaign, targeting 20 million international visitors this year, surpassing the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. In 2022, approximately 3.2 million inbound visitors were recorded, and in 2019, Korea welcomed 17.5 million inbound travelers just before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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