Korea Tourism Organization launches 'Go Local' campaign for foreign visitors
In short
The Korea Tourism Organization said it will run an “Unlock Your Korea: Go Local” campaign from October 7 to December 13 to cut the payment, transport and information difficulties foreign tourists face when travelling beyond the Seoul area. It covers gateway cities around Cheongju, Daegu and Gimhae airports and Incheon, Pyeongtaek and Gunsan ports, with cash refunds at local shops, a Busan transport-and-attraction pass and travel products tied to regional food festivals.
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The Korea Tourism Organization said on October 7 that it will run an “Unlock Your Korea: Go Local” tourism service improvement campaign until December 13, aimed at reducing the payment, transport and tourist information difficulties foreign visitors face while travelling in the regions, Yonhap and Asia Economy reported. The target areas are gateway cities and adjacent regions around Cheongju, Daegu and Gimhae airports and Incheon, Pyeongtaek and Gunsan ports. Korea Economic Daily described the campaign as lowering the threshold for foreign tourists' regional travel. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
On payment, the organization plans to expand mobile easy-payment and post-tax-refund infrastructure at traditional markets and other local shops, and to run a joint promotion with the foreigner-only payment and commerce platform WOWPASS. Visitors who spend 10,000 won or more on food, drink or shopping in participating local commercial areas receive 2,000 won back immediately per transaction, up to six times per person and a maximum of 12,000 won. [ 2 , 3 ]
For transport and attractions, a “K-Tour” pass combining the two is being offered in Busan, which the organization says is popular with foreign tourists; buying the pass brings a discount on the airport express train fare and free entry to one of 35 paid tourist sites in the city. Asia Economy wrote that the pass will be introduced, while Yonhap wrote that it was already introduced, leaving the timing unclear in the two reports. [ 2 , 3 ]
The organization also plans to expand information on quality accommodation, including hanok, near regional airports and ports, and to strengthen multilingual interpretation and guidance through the 1330 tourist information line. It will develop travel products linked to regional food festivals such as the Daegu Tteokbokki Festival and the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival, and sell and promote them through its overseas offices and global online travel agencies. [ 2 , 3 ]
Min Byeong-seon, head of the organization's tourism industry division, said it will work to create an environment where foreign tourists can easily obtain travel information and conveniently enjoy attractive local content from the moment they arrive through a regional airport or port, adding that the organization will cooperate with local governments, related institutions and private companies to make regional airports and ports a new starting point for regional tourism. [ 2 , 3 ]
The documents do not give a budget, a number of participating merchants or expected visitor figures for the campaign. [ 2 , 3 ]
Why it matters
The campaign is aimed at widening foreign visitors' itineraries beyond the Seoul metropolitan area by making regional airports and ports the starting point of a trip. If the refunds, pass and festival-linked products are taken up, the stated benefit falls to local merchants, accommodation operators and festival organisers in those gateway regions. The documents give no budget, participation targets or expected visitor numbers, so the scale of the effect cannot be judged from them.
Key facts
- The Korea Tourism Organization is running the “Unlock Your Korea: Go Local” campaign from October 7 to December 13. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The campaign targets gateway cities and nearby areas around Cheongju, Daegu and Gimhae airports and Incheon, Pyeongtaek and Gunsan ports. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Foreign visitors who spend 10,000 won or more at participating local shops receive 2,000 won back per transaction, up to six times and a maximum of 12,000 won per person. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A “K-Tour” pass combining transport and attraction benefits is being offered in Busan, giving a discount on the airport express train and free entry to one of 35 paid tourist sites. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The organization plans to expand information on hanok and other accommodation near regional airports and ports, and to strengthen multilingual interpretation through the 1330 tourist information line. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Travel products linked to regional food festivals, including the Daegu Tteokbokki Festival and the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival, are to be developed and sold through the organization's overseas offices and global online travel agencies. [ 2 , 3 ]
- The campaign is intended to reduce inconvenience in payment, transport and tourist information and to extend tourism routes from the Seoul area to the regions. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Korea Tourism Organization is running the “Unlock Your Korea: Go Local” campaign from October 7 to December 13, targeting gateway cities around Cheongju, Daegu and Gimhae airports and Incheon, Pyeongtaek and Gunsan ports. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Mobile easy-payment and post-tax-refund infrastructure is to be expanded at traditional markets and other local shops, with a joint promotion with the foreigner-only payment and commerce platform WOWPASS. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Visitors spending 10,000 won or more on food, drink or shopping in participating local areas get 2,000 won back immediately per transaction, up to six times and 12,000 won per person. [ 2 , 3 ]
- A “K-Tour” pass combining transport and attraction discounts is being offered in Busan, including a discount on the airport express train and free entry to one of 35 paid Busan tourist sites. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Information on quality accommodation, including hanok, near regional airports and ports will be expanded, and multilingual interpretation and guidance through the 1330 tourist information line strengthened. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Travel products linked to regional food festivals, including the Daegu Tteokbokki Festival and the Gimcheon Gimbap Festival, will be developed and jointly promoted through the organization's overseas offices and global online travel agencies. [ 2 , 3 ]
- Min Byeong-seon, head of the tourism industry division at the Korea Tourism Organization, said the campaign aims to create an environment where foreign tourists can easily get travel information and enjoy local content from the moment they arrive via regional airports and ports. [ 2 , 3 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the “K-Tour” pass is newly launched or already operating in Busan. Asia Economy wrote that the pass will be introduced, while Yonhap wrote that it was introduced, so the two reports differ on the timing.
- The budget, number of participating merchants and expected visitor numbers for the campaign. None of the documents gives figures for funding, participating shops or targets.
- How the figures in the Korea Economic Daily article about record foreign arrivals and Japanese tourist bookings relate to this campaign. Those passages describe other stories in the same article text and do not state a connection to the Go Local campaign.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Korea Economic Daily reports the Korea Tourism Organization is launching the “Go Local” campaign to lower the threshold for foreign tourists' regional travel. [ 1 ]
- Asia Economy publishes the campaign details, including the October 7 to December 13 run, gateway cities, refund terms and the Busan pass. [ 2 ]
- Yonhap reports the tourism organization's announcement, confirming the campaign period, target areas and service measures. [ 3 ]