[New Major Player, Southeast Asia] ① Targeting Southeast Asian Inbound Tourism with K-Content

Large Market with High Potential for Korean Tourism Demand Amid Hallyu Wave
Stable Due to Few Political and Diplomatic Variables, Offsetting China's Absence
50,000 Attend Philippines 'Korean Tourism Promotion Fair'

With the rising status of K-culture day by day, the inbound tourism market is also regaining momentum, and the Korea Tourism Organization is accelerating its efforts to target the Southeast Asian market. The Southeast Asian market, where the Korean Wave is strong and political and diplomatic variables are fewer compared to China and Japan, is emerging as a blue ocean capable of securing stable demand.

Crowds gathered at the Korea Travel Fiesta (9.2) venue.
[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

Prior to COVID-19, over five years (2015?2019), the Southeast Asian market demonstrated its potential with an average annual growth rate of 12.4% in inbound tourists to Korea. This figure significantly exceeded the overall market growth rate of 7.2% during the same period. Additionally, a survey of potential inbound travelers last year showed that interest in traveling to Korea was the highest worldwide, and interest in Korean cultural content was overwhelmingly high, suggesting smooth creation of new inbound demand in the future.

The government aims for an era of 30 million foreign tourists in line with the ‘2023-2024 Visit Korea Year.’ Therefore, diversifying the market toward Southeast Asia, where tourism demand is recovering rapidly, has become a necessity rather than a choice. The growth of the inbound tourism market has been driven by ASEAN countries in the Southeast Asian region. According to the Korea Tourism Organization’s statistics on inbound foreign tourists last year, the number of tourists from the 10 ASEAN countries was 74,067, accounting for 32.5% of the total. This is an overwhelming figure compared to only 14,418 tourists from the Greater China region (including Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau) and 5,855 Japanese tourists.

The inbound tourism market ecosystem has changed significantly due to COVID-19. The structure, which previously revolved around China and Japan as the two main pillars, has shifted with Southeast Asia becoming the dominant trend. According to a survey conducted last year by the Korea Tourism Organization targeting 30,000 men and women aged 15 and older from 21 countries, 6 out of 10 foreigners in their 20s and 30s expressed a desire to visit Korea. Among them, young people from Southeast Asian countries such as the Philippines, Vietnam, and Singapore showed particularly high intentions to travel to Korea.

MICE briefing session underway at the MICE roadshow dinner (9.1).
[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

In response, the Korea Tourism Organization held the ‘KOREA TRAVEL FIESTA 2023’ from December 1 to 3 in Manila, the capital of the Philippines, targeting the Christmas season, which is the peak overseas travel season in the Philippines, to create a favorable atmosphere for inbound tourism. More than 50,000 visitors attended the event, demonstrating strong interest in Korea.

The event was held in cooperation with the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in the Philippines and the Korean Cultural Center. It included the Manila MICE Roadshow to strengthen networks between the travel industries of Korea and the Philippines, as well as promotional events aimed at Filipino general consumers to showcase the diverse charms of K-culture such as winter tourism, performances, food, and wellness.

As a pre-event on December 1, the MICE Roadshow was held at the New World Makati Hotel in Manila, where about 70 participants including four domestic local governments and RTOs, 15 travel agencies, five ski resorts, and three performance companies conducted approximately 1,500 one-on-one consultations with about 170 local tourism industry officials.

On December 2 and 3, a Korean tourism promotional event was held at the Glorietta Activity Center in Manila’s Glorietta Shopping Mall. The opening ceremony featured a congratulatory performance by Kyline, a popular Filipino star appointed as an honorary ambassador for Korean tourism. Especially, a showcase of ‘Jump’ and ‘Doodle Pop’ was held to promote the ‘2023 Welcome Daehangno’ event scheduled for October this year.

Lee Sang-hwa, the Korean Ambassador to the Philippines who attended the opening ceremony, said, “With the opening of the Korean Visa Application Center in Manila last month, Filipino citizens can now conveniently apply for visas anytime, making it easier to prepare for trips to Korea,” and added, “We hope that tourism exchanges between the two countries will become more active.”

The Korean tourism promotional booth featured various booths and programs that attracted attention. These included a pop-up store using the official Korean tourism character ‘Kingdom Friends,’ the ‘K-Place Zone’ promoting the charms of local tourism from three local governments?Gangwon, Jeonnam, and Jeonbuk, the ‘Winter Korea Zone’ promoting winter tourism by domestic ski resorts and the Korea Ski Resort Association, and the ‘K-Food Zone’ by aT Center and CJ CheilJedang, highlighting Korea’s winter culture and content to local consumers.

Commemorative photo at Korea Travel Fiesta (9.2).
[Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]

Additionally, joint promotional events for inbound tourism products were held with major Philippine travel agencies, along with airline prize giveaways, Hanbok experience programs at the Korean Cultural Center, and photo booth activities, which drew enthusiastic responses from visitors.

The Korea Tourism Organization regards the Philippines, with its rapid economic growth and population of over 100 million, as an important market. By July this year, about 170,000 Filipinos had visited Korea, recovering approximately 61% compared to the same period in 2019.

In the Philippines, interest in K-sports among basketball fans is as strong as interest in K-culture. Filipino players Ronjay Abarrientos (Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus) and Sam Joseph Velangel (Daegu Korea Gas Corporation Pegasus), who are active in the KBL, enjoy popularity comparable to that of stars. In June, the Korea Tourism Organization, together with the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines and the Korean Basketball League, held ‘My Korea Story with Filipino KBL Players,’ where the two players introduced K-culture and Korean tourism directly to their fellow countrymen, receiving a special response.

A Korea Tourism Organization official said, “With the recent spread of K-culture greatly increasing demand for travel to Korea, this event will serve as a turning point for securing demand during the winter peak season and boosting the Korean tourism boom,” adding, “We will do our best to ensure that 370,000 Filipino tourists, the target for this year, visit Korea by the end of the year.”