Korea and China launched their first joint travel industry exchange in Incheon on Thursday and will continue it in Andong to promote regional tourism beyond Seoul. The campaign targets international visitors, especially from China, and seeks to direct them to historic regional centers. The ministry also proposed a record 2027 tourism budget of 1.75 trillion won to support regional airport tourism zones, hotel loans and local holiday support.
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.
