The South Korean tourism industry is actively working to redirect foreign visitors from the metropolitan area to regional destinations. Moving beyond the previous approach of encouraging simple visits to tourist attractions, the industry is focusing on creating direct flight demand from high-income target groups, discovering local content, and improving on-site infrastructure. This strategy aims to enhance the quality and diversity of K-tourism beyond mere quantitative recovery.
◆ Targeting High-Income Chinese Tourists with Direct Flights
The first step in revitalizing regional tourism is undoubtedly improving accessibility and expanding the affluent customer base. Recently, the tourism industry has identified the Yangtze River Delta region as a key target to disperse Chinese tourists, who are predominantly concentrated in the metropolitan area.
A primary focus is Hangzhou, a city recognized as a 'new first-tier city' in China, known for its economic strength, population, and growth potential. Home to major IT companies like Alibaba, Hangzhou has a resident population of 12.62 million and an annual disposable income per capita of approximately 16 million won.
Taking advantage of over 7,000 airline seats operating weekly between Korea and Hangzhou, marketing efforts for direct flights to regional destinations have intensified. At the recent '2026 K-Tourism Roadshow' B2B consultation held locally, over 100 participants, including 39 domestic organizations and local Chinese platforms, discussed developing regional tourism content connecting Hangzhou and Busan. The organization plans to attract visitors to the regions by reflecting the preferences of the Chinese MZ generation, who favor individual travel, through platform marketing linked with diverse industries.
◆ Attracting Tourists with Local Culinary Experiences
Having opened the door for regional influx through direct flight routes, the key to retaining these visitors lies in unique local content. Regions facing extinction due to climate change and aging populations are making efforts to secure sustainability by leveraging their unique ingredients.
A prime example is the 'Delicious Coexistence on Bi-yang' food festival, which attracted 1,600 tourists over two days at the end of last month. Seven renowned chefs, including Kim Do-yoon and Oh Se-deuk, visited Bi-yang Island to develop new dishes using seasonal ingredients, generating significant interest.
Importantly, this initiative is not a one-time festival. New recipes, such as seaweed bibimbap and sea snail bread, are being shared with seven local restaurants on Bi-yang Island for ongoing sales. By combining the region's rustic assets with popular culinary trends, a new demand for tourism is being created, establishing a virtuous cycle that boosts local residents' incomes.
◆ Infrastructure Improvements Key to Eliminating Overcharging
As global mega-events approach, local governments are prioritizing proactive assessments of their tourism readiness. They recognize that even with excellent content and direct flight routes, long-term growth is impossible if the reliability of the infrastructure to support these offerings deteriorates.
In preparation for the BTS World Tour concert in Busan on June 12-13, the city is launching a comprehensive inspection of the accommodation industry in collaboration with relevant agencies. The plan aims to eradicate persistent issues such as overcharging and unilateral reservation cancellations that have plagued large events.
A monitoring campaign called 'Pleasant Interventions' will also be implemented, allowing citizens to report hygiene issues or unfair pricing via QR codes until the end of October. This reflects a sense of urgency to successfully host events that attract global attention, thereby proving the competitiveness of regional tourism.
A tourism industry representative stated, "Revitalizing regional tourism cannot be solved simply by increasing overseas promotions. It requires a fair market environment where foreign tourists can confidently spend, supported by content that highlights the unique charm of the regions, to truly usher in a new era of K-tourism in the provinces."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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