Korea Aims for 30 Million Visitors by 2028, Two Years Ahead of Schedule
Creatrip Team
a month ago
Park Seong-hyuk, new president of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), announced a push to attract 30 million annual foreign visitors by 2028—two years earlier than the government’s 2030 target. Park cited the global popularity of K-content, a weaker won, and rising China cruise arrivals as favorable conditions; KTO targets 22 million visitors this year and expects cruise traffic alone to add 450,000–500,000 visitors. A former global marketing executive at Cheil Worldwide, Park plans stronger North American and European marketing, deeper partnerships with global travel firms and hotel headquarters, and extensive use of AI to expand and personalize tourism products. KTO will integrate multiple data platforms into its 'Visit Korea' (비지트 코리아) system and launch initiatives to disperse tourists beyond Seoul, including a regional travel rebate pilot ('Regional Love Vacation'—pay half back for trips to selected rural areas), expanded digital tourist ID programs, and themed site discovery projects. Park said tourism can become one of Korea’s top three industries by leveraging AI and data-driven strategies.
