Korea Tourism Organization Participates in China International Travel Fair with 53 Institutions
Promoting Korean Tourism with Themes of Cuisine, Beauty, and Wellness
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 25th that they participated in the largest international tourism fair in China, the China International Travel Mart (CITM), held from the 22nd to the 24th at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai, showcasing the diverse charms of Korean tourism.
A symbol of Korea-China friendship. Chinese consumers captivated by the panda parenting story of Grandpa Pubao and zookeeper Kang Cheol-won. [Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]
The organization created a Korea Pavilion under the theme of ‘Free and Enjoyable Travel in Korea (自游FUN?)’, a promotional brand for individual travelers from the Chinese-speaking region visiting Korea, positioning Korea as the starting point for free overseas travel and a destination for everyday travel. The Korea Pavilion, which included participation from 10 domestic local governments and the tourism industry, offered various experiences centered on content recently gaining attention among Chinese visitors such as gourmet food, beauty and wellness, local travel, and K-culture, attracting approximately 30,000 visitors.
On-site, events such as the panda childcare talk concert with Kang Cheol-won, the Everland zookeeper known as ‘Grandpa Fubao’ and a symbol of Korea-China friendship familiar to Chinese consumers, and the K-school lunch live cooking show by Lee Mi-young, the ‘Lunch Master’ chef who recently gained attention as the black-and-white chef, captured the attention of consumers present.
New trend content such as acorn caricature experiences, personal skeletal diagnosis, and fashion and hair styling proposals provided vivid experiences for MZ generation visitors who value experiential activities, making them feel as if they were in Korea. The Korea Pavilion won both the ‘Best Participating Organization Award’ and the ‘Best Promotional Pavilion Award’ thanks to fresh attractions and diverse promotional activities.
Chinese consumers receiving Korean-style beauty styling proposals. [Photo by Korea Tourism Organization]
At the expert business consultation held on the 22nd, 53 domestic travel industry participants including local governments, China-specialized travel agencies, and tourism-related organizations, along with about 60 local travel companies, engaged in 398 enthusiastic consultations.
Seo Young-chung, Acting President of the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, “We will respond to changes in travel trends such as travel to small and medium-sized cities in China and preference for local experiences, and expand the spectrum of Korean travel as a destination for Chinese consumers’ ‘everyday travel’ that meets diverse demands from university students to women in their 20s to 50s.”
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization will hold the ‘2024 China Inbound Activation Forum’ on December 6 at the Westin Chosun Seoul. Domestic and Chinese experts will be invited to discuss the future direction of the Chinese group tourism market and forecast recent consumption trends. Pre-registration is available until the 27th on the Korea Tourism Industry Portal TourAZ.
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