CreatripTeam

South Korea launched its 2025 “Welcome Week” to greet international visitors from Sept. 23 to Oct. 9, coinciding with the APEC leaders’ meeting and peak travel season. Welcome booths opened at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1, Gyeongju Station, Gimhae Airport, and Busan Port. Staff in hanbok (traditional Korean clothing) and other cultural costumes provide multilingual assistance, welcome kits with a “welcome card” (QR links to Korean culture pages), travel information, and partner discounts for shopping, experiences, telecom and payments. Booths let visitors see and touch traditional items and participate in cultural experiences, including a performance by the a cappella group Mateuri reinterpreting K-pop OSTs. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism says inbound tourism is recovering toward pre-pandemic levels and expects growth this year; Welcome Week and the APEC meeting are seen as opportunities to showcase Korean culture. A local campaign in Gyeongju, “Smile of Silla,” encourages residents and tourism workers to welcome guests. Officials said they will keep improving hospitality so visitors have safe, comfortable, memorable trips in Korea.