Recruitment for the 'Tourism Global Challenge Program' Now Open
Applications Accepted Until the 17th...
Approximately 30 Companies to Be Selected in Three Categories
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 5th that they are recruiting tourism companies to participate in the '2025 Tourism Global Challenge Program' until the 17th.
The Tourism Global Challenge Program is a project initiated by the Korea Tourism Organization since 2020 to support promising domestic startups with innovative technologies and services in the tourism sector to expand overseas. This year, about 30 companies will be selected in three categories: ▲Tourism DX Solution Export Type ▲Inbound and Outbound Tourism Exchange Type ▲Tourism Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Contribution Type.
Selected companies will receive up to 200 million KRW in overseas commercialization funds. In addition, together with overseas specialized accelerators 'CNT Tech' and 'Y&Archer,' customized incubation programs will be provided for overseas expansion, including ▲business diagnosis ▲IR consulting ▲domestic and international promotion support ▲IR meetings with overseas investors. Furthermore, networking events for senior and junior domestic companies called Alumni and the Global Business Day event inviting prominent overseas investors and decision-makers will be held separately, offering priority participation opportunities in the Korea Tourism Organization’s annual overseas expansion projects such as demo days, exhibitions, and PoC (Proof of Concept).
Eligibility for the program includes tourism companies that meet at least one of the following criteria: ▲annual sales of 500 million KRW or more in one of the last three years ▲annual export amount of 100,000 USD or more in one of the last three years ▲10 or more regular employees ▲investment attraction of 1 billion KRW or more in the last three years ▲awards at major international competitions in the last three years ▲contracts and proof of concept achievements in the overseas tourism sector in the last three years, and have the capability and willingness to expand overseas.
Tourism companies wishing to participate in this project can check the main markets and core programs of each accelerator and apply by selecting one dedicated accelerator. The Korea Tourism Organization will select the final companies through a first-round document screening and a second-round English presentation evaluation. Detailed information can be found under 'Announcements/Calls' on the Korea Tourism Industry Portal Touraz.
Kwon Jong-sul, Head of the Tourism Company Support Office at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "Over the past five years, the Korea Tourism Organization has helped 118 companies expand overseas through the Tourism Global Challenge Program, and last year alone, the number of overseas business matching cases achieved through this program reached 534." He added, "We will continue to expand various overseas expansion support projects for the sustainable growth of the domestic tourism industry."
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