K-Tourism Goes Global with 'Innovation Intermediary' Strategy
Creatrip Team
3 months ago
The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is accelerating global expansion of K-tourism through its “Tourism Global Leading Companies” program, offering a one-pass support system from company diagnosis to commercialization. The initiative includes the Tourism Global Challenge program, overseas Tourism Company Support Centers (KTSC) in Singapore, Tokyo and Bangkok, and a new Global Open Innovation track that runs PoC (proof of concept) projects in five markets. Startups like medical tourism platform GangnamUnnie (강남언니) and eSIM provider SuperaLink saw rapid growth after joining the program and using KTSC local bases for legal, tax, marketing and partner-matching support. The program helped 147 promising tourism ventures enter global tracks, generated about 40% year‑over‑year revenue growth for new cohort firms (roughly KRW 163.8 billion in provisional sales), and produced 29 PoC projects with local partners including major OTAs and corporations. KTO plans to broaden support, deepen industry-specific nurturing, and act as an “innovation intermediary” to match Korean tourism startups with overseas demand.
