The Key to Globalization: Attracting Foreign Visitors in Their 20s and 30s [Royal Culture Festival]

Number of Foreign Tourists to Korea Up 48.4% Last Year
Record-High Visitor Numbers Expected This Year
Strong Interest in Temple Stays, Hanok Experiences, and Traditional Sauce-Making
Aggressive Marketing Needed to Attract More International Visitors

The increase in foreign tourists is a key reason behind efforts to develop the Royal Culture Festival into a global event. Last year, the number of inbound foreign visitors to Korea reached 16.37 million, a 48.4% increase compared to the previous year's 11.03 million. The Korea Tourism Organization projected that the number of visitors this year will reach an all-time high. This projection is based on high levels of tourist satisfaction. In a survey conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism over two months starting in January this year in areas such as Myeong-dong, Seoul, 92.5% of foreign tourists responded that they were 'satisfied' with their experience in Korea. Additionally, 90.6% said they intended to revisit.

The Opening Ceremony of the Royal Culture Festival Venue

The main driver attracting these visitors was K-content, such as films, dramas, and music. However, once in Korea, tourists showed a greater preference for traditional cultural experiences such as temple stays, hanok stays, and making traditional sauces. Palace tours were also among these preferred activities. Yoon Ji-hyun, an official at the Palace and Royal Tombs Service Planning Division of the Cultural Heritage Administration, said, "Over the past ten years of operating the Royal Culture Festival, I have directly witnessed the enthusiastic response from foreign visitors," and added, "I became convinced that introducing programs exclusively for foreigners could provide a new springboard for growth."

The ideal structure envisioned by the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korea Heritage Service is to attract foreign visitors to Korea through the Royal Culture Festival. Achieving this requires increased brand awareness through aggressive marketing. However, this is still in its early stages. Last year, the Korean Cultural Center in Osaka held a palace photography exhibition at the Mirinae Gallery, and outdoor advertisements were displayed on the Yunika Vision screen in Shinjuku, Tokyo. Since Japanese tourists accounted for the largest share of inbound visitors in 2023 (about 2.31 million), these initiatives were carried out as part of a strategic approach.

Royal Culture Festival 'Time Travel Sejong' On Site

The Korea Heritage Service has also participated in two overseas expos. In August last year, it operated a promotional booth at the NATAS consumer travel fair held at the Singapore Expo Hall. At this event, which featured 74 participating organizations, the Royal Culture Festival was promoted and opportunities to experience traditional culture were provided. In November last year, at the Taipei International Travel Fair (ITF) held at the Nangang Exhibition Center in Taiwan, similar efforts were made to attract local visitors.

Jin Mi-kyung, head of the Royal Culture Festival team at the Korea Heritage Service, said, "Singapore recorded the highest growth rate in the number of tourists visiting Korea in 2023 compared to 2019, and Taiwan ranked fourth in the number of visitors to Korea that year (960,000)," adding, "We plan to continue setting targets by country or region and focus our promotional efforts accordingly."

Deoksugung 'Pungnyu' Event with Disney

There are still no full-scale promotional plans targeting North America or Europe. Instead, accessibility is being improved by utilizing Creatrip, a global reservation platform popular among foreigners. Jin also said, "Last year, we launched programs exclusively for foreigners and began selling tickets online," and added, "The number of tickets sold is gradually increasing." Moon Hye-rim, the manager in charge of Korea Heritage Service products at Creatrip, said, "Sales were sluggish in the spring of last year due to limited promotion, but this year, thanks to viral marketing, influencer promotions, and high Google ratings, the situation has reversed."

According to Creatrip, Taiwan recorded the highest reservation rate last year at 40%. This year, the proportion of English-speaking countries has risen to 70%, resulting in a more balanced distribution. Moon explained, "The number of tourists from English-speaking Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe has increased accordingly. Purchases are made both from overseas and within Korea, so buyers may be foreigners staying in Korea or tourists who have already arrived." She added, "The groups are diverse, including couples, friends, and families, but almost all included people in their twenties and thirties. How to target these groups is the key to globalization."