"K-Tourism Roadshow Held in Denver as Direct Salt Lake City-Incheon Flight Launches in June"

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced that they will hold the "K-Tourism Roadshow" in Denver on the 28th (local time) as part of efforts to target the U.S. inbound tourism market. The U.S. K-Tourism Roadshow was launched on the 25th at Cipriani Hall in New York.

At the Denver roadshow, the Korea Tourism Organization will co-host a Korea tourism promotion briefing and travel mart with Delta Air Lines. As a direct flight from Salt Lake City to Incheon?the only such route from an Asian city?is scheduled to launch in June, the strategy is to use this roadshow as an opportunity to attract Asian tourism demand from Denver and the broader Midwest region. In August, the Korea Tourism Organization plans to promote the appeal of Korean tourism to U.S. opinion leaders and key consumers in Washington, D.C., the political capital of the United States.

The United States is the fourth largest inbound market for Korea after China, Japan, and Taiwan, with the number of U.S. visitors to Korea surpassing 1.3 million last year, setting an all-time record. The market has shown a steep recovery since the COVID-19 pandemic, with a 21.5% surge compared to 2023.

The opening ceremony at Cipriani Hall on the 25th was attended by about 300 industry professionals, including representatives from leading online travel agency TripAdvisor, art-focused travel agency Arrangements Abroad, and other specialized travel companies. Under the theme "Discover Korea's Hidden Charms," the Korea Tourism Organization showcased lesser-known, gem-like destinations across the country. At the Korea Tourism Travel Mart held that morning, 19 organizations?including domestic airlines, travel agencies, and local governments?participated, resulting in approximately 240 business consultations with U.S. travel agencies.

Seo Youngchung, Acting President of the Korea Tourism Organization, is delivering the opening remarks at the K-Tourism Roadshow opening ceremony held on the 25th (local time) at Cipriani Hall in New York, USA.
Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

The main event of the roadshow, the "Korea Tourism Mini Talk Show," featured local travel industry opinion leaders sharing their vivid travel experiences in Korea. Participants highlighted the diverse attractions of different regional cities such as Busan, Jeju, Suncheon, and Yeosu. Photos and videos of local attractions?including Seopjikoji and Hamdeok Beach in Jeju, and Suwon Hwaseong Fortress?by photographer and influencer Ethan Barber also drew much attention.

The Korea Tourism Organization presented Korea Tourism Awards to Student Universe, a travel agency specializing in educational trips, and Sky Vacations, which developed the first K-vegan travel product. Richard Krieger, Director of Product Development at Sky Vacations, commented, "Korea is now one of the trendiest travel destinations, with abundant content that meets diverse needs such as wellness and gastronomy, offering endless possibilities for product development."

Seo Youngchung, Acting President of the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "The Korea Tourism Organization is fully committed to developing premium tourism products tailored to the needs of U.S. consumers. In addition to K-art tours for art enthusiasts, we will implement customized tourism marketing that reflects American lifestyles, including vegan, classical music performance groups, and digital nomads, and will strive to achieve tangible results through these efforts."