The South Korean tourism industry aims to welcome 30 million tourists by 2028.

The newly appointed CEO of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) has announced an ambitious plan to boost tourism growth, pledging to reach the government's target of 30 million visitors per year two years ahead of schedule.

The announcement by South Korea's new tourism leader marks a significant shift in the national tourism strategy, with the KTO designating 2026 as the "year of action" for a comprehensive transformation based on three pillars: attracting tourists, extending their length of stay, and integrating artificial intelligence (AI).

“2030 is too late. We will reach the 30 million visitor milestone by 2028,” the new KTO Chairman, Park Sung Hyeuck, told reporters at a media event at the Korea Press Center.

Mr. Park, a marketing specialist recruited from Cheil Worldwide, Samsung Group's advertising agency, where he previously led overseas market strategy, stressed the urgency of this goal, noting that South Korea is projected to attract 18.9 million foreign visitors by 2025, a figure considered a record for South Korean tourism.

Park Sung Hyeuck, the new chairman of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), speaks at his first press conference at the Korea Press Center in Seoul on Monday. (Photo: KTO)

The new KTO director frankly addressed the gap between South Korea and Japan, citing analyses showing that South Korea receives only about half the number of tourists that Japan receives, yet bilateral traffic volume is only one-third that of Japan.

"This imbalance needs to be addressed quickly," Park said, outlining a strategy focused on regional diversification and expansion into higher-value markets.

Instead of simply pursuing quantity, Park emphasizes quality growth, targeting high-end sectors including healthcare , beauty tourism, and major international conferences.

"Quantity is important, but the length of time visitors stay and the amount of goods they consume are the real factors determining success," the record holder further emphasized.

KTO will pursue specific strategies for each market, tailored to regional characteristics. For China, Japan, and Taiwan, which are key markets for Korea, the focus will shift towards tourism in second-tier cities and repeat visitors. Southeast Asia and the Middle East will be targeted through products related to Korean culture, while North America and Europe will expand online and offline touchpoints to capture emerging demand.

Foreign tourists dressed in traditional Korean attire watch traditional calligraphy writing with good wishes for the new year at the Korean Folk Village in Yongin, Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. (Photo: Yonhap)

Mr. Park outlined 10 key initiatives for 2026, including transforming Korea's tourism guidance system into a single AI-integrated platform by 2028. The KTO will consolidate 13 individual websites into a “Visit Korea” center, develop a multilingual AI travel assistant, and introduce integrated travel and transportation cards for international visitors.

Notably, Park pledged to go beyond branch-level negotiations to establish “bold partnerships” with global hotel chains such as Hilton and Marriott, as well as major online travel agencies at the headquarters level, leveraging the spillover effect to amplify South Korea’s influence in the international market.

Domestically, KTO will pilot regional retreat programs, providing a 50% reimbursement of travel costs to declining rural communities in 20 designated areas, aiming to address both tourism allocation and demographic challenges.

"2026 will be a year of transformation, where we act based on data and create tangible results that people can feel in reality," said Park. He added, "Just like Japan's tourism industry ranks second (in Japan's export sector), we will elevate South Korea's tourism industry to become one of our top three export sectors within the next three years," referring to automobiles and semiconductors as the country's main export industries.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/nganh-du-lich-han-quoc-dat-muc-tieu-don-30-trieu-du-khach-nam-2028-20260209085429465.htm