‘Tourism Industry Awakens with With-Corona’ Tourism Ventures, Local Governments, and Travel Industry Collaborate

'2022 Tourism Business Connection Week' Held from 19th to 23rd

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 19th that the '2022 Tourism Connect Week' will be held until the 23rd. The photo shows the scene from last year's Tourism Connect Week event. Photo by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 19th that they will hold the ‘2022 Tourism Connect Week’ until the 23rd.

Now in its second year, ‘Tourism Connect Week’ focuses on introducing innovative tourism venture companies and early-stage startups under the slogan ‘Participation, Connection, Innovation: Future Tourism 1.0.’ The event is held both online and offline through the official website, the Korea Tourism Organization Center’s HiKR Ground in Jung-gu, Seoul, and the Masil Community House in Myeongdong, Seoul.

To strengthen innovation in the tourism ecosystem, it is notable that Kim Jong-yoon, CEO of ‘Yanolja,’ a leading domestic unicorn company in the tourism sector (an unlisted venture company valued at over 1 trillion KRW), serves as the private sector steering committee chairman.

With about 300 participants including domestic and international tourism venture companies, travel industry representatives, local governments, and investors from home and abroad, the event focuses on three main themes: △regional-based collaboration △tourism reopening △tourism service exports, enhancing communication and exchange among tourism industry stakeholders. The program includes keynote presentations, demo days, and business briefings to review the trends in the tourism industry amid rapid changes after COVID-19 and prepare for the upcoming era of future tourism.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 19th that the '2022 Tourism Connect Week' will be held until the 23rd. The photo shows the scene from last year's Tourism Connect Week event. Photo by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Demo Days by Three Main Themes, 1:1 Business Briefings, and Corporate Investment Attraction

First, demo days based on the three main themes will be held. On the 20th, the first theme, ‘regional-based collaboration,’ will be promoted through keynote presentations and a newly established demo day for tourism innovation ideas tailored to depopulated areas. Ten tourism venture companies that passed the preliminary round ‘BETTER里’ audition held on August 30 will present and engage in lively discussions on ‘Tourism Innovation Proposals Customized for Depopulated Areas.’

To actively promote the second theme, ‘tourism reopening,’ and the third theme, ‘tourism service exports,’ on the 21st, a platform for exchange between Korean and Chinese travel tech companies will be created through a business cooperation between the tourism venture company Onda and Alibaba Group, a major Chinese travel platform. This aims to explore sales channels targeting Chinese-speaking tourists.

Additionally, on the 22nd, to support the global expansion and investment attraction activities of promising tourism venture companies, overseas companies and investors will be invited online for corporate briefings and investment consultations. An exhibition space introducing trends in tourism venture companies, digital transformation (DX), and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) activities will be set up, and customized consultations will be provided free of charge to tourism companies.

A special consumer promotion event to raise public awareness of tourism venture companies will also be held. From the 20th to the 23rd, a pop-up store called ‘HiKR Air’ selling products from tourism venture companies will be held on the first floor of HiKR Ground. A special discount event will also be conducted online on the Naver Store from the 20th to the 30th. In Busan, a pop-up store called ‘Busan Super’ selling products from local tourism companies will operate at the Dong-gu Tourism Information Center.

Lee Hak-joo, Head of the Tourism Industry Division at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, “Through this event, we hope that more companies and public institutions will collaborate with tourism venture companies and that investment attraction into the tourism startup ecosystem will expand. We will strive to create a collaborative platform involving diverse companies to establish a sustainable growth foundation for tourism companies.”

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 19th that the '2022 Tourism Connect Week' will be held until the 23rd. Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism