The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism is launching initiatives to attract foreign tourists to various regions in South Korea, coinciding with the record number of visitors this year, particularly around the BTS concert in Busan.
On June 1, the ministry announced that it will hold a "Welcome Week" event at Gimhae International Airport from June 1 to June 14, in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Visit Year Committee. This event is designed to accommodate the expected surge in foreign tourists visiting Busan for the BTS concert on June 12 and 13.
A welcome booth will be set up in the arrivals area on the first floor of the airport, offering multilingual tourist information, local tourism details, and on-site reservations for themed tourism packages. Visitors will receive a welcome kit that includes a welcome card, a map of Korean tourist attractions, and K-food items. In the departure area on the second floor, farewell images will be displayed on electronic boards, and travelers will be given goodbye cards and traditional cultural souvenirs to leave with a warm impression of Korea.
In addition to the offline events, customized information will be provided in eight foreign languages through the overseas promotion platform "VisitKorea." This will include guides to BTS-related attractions in Busan, safety travel guidelines for crowded areas, and information on public transport restrictions.
"The number of visitors to Korea from January to April this year has reached an all-time high, indicating a positive trend in inbound tourism," said Kang Jeong-won, head of the tourism policy division at the ministry. "We aim to expand the journey of foreign tourists to various regions, ensuring both quantitative and qualitative growth in inbound tourism through enhanced infrastructure, improved reception capabilities, and strengthened promotion efforts."
In response to the growing demand for health and wellness-focused travel, the ministry is also accelerating the development of K-Wellness tourism. Following the implementation of the "Healing Tourism Industry Promotion Act" on April 9, the ministry has selected 20 specialized wellness tourism sites known for their ability to attract foreign tourists from an existing list of 88 excellent wellness destinations.
The selected sites include Daegu's "Sayuwon," which won the "Star of Korean Tourism" award in 2025, and "Awon Hanok" in Jeonbuk, where BTS filmed a video and photoshoot. The "WE Hotel Jeju," operated by the Halla Medical Foundation, is also among the chosen locations.
The government plans to support each of the selected sites with up to 50 million won for competitiveness enhancement projects. This includes overseas promotion using global platforms and establishing a digital service environment tailored for foreign visitors to help these sites become key destinations for international tourists.
Furthermore, the ministry aims to systematically support the creation of a healing tourism ecosystem by quickly implementing basic plans, training professionals, and designating healing tourism industry zones based on the regulations established on April 21 under the Healing Tourism Industry Act.
A ministry policy official stated, "Wellness tourism is a future growth industry that combines tourism, health, and healing. We will actively support the development of specialized wellness tourism sites to establish a globally competitive Korean wellness tourism model and help Korea become a leading destination for healing tourism worldwide."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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