Korea Tourism Organization Accelerates Efforts to Attract Japanese Tourists with K-Food Such as Wanggalbi and Makchang

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on June 2 that they will launch the "2025 Regional Specialty Food Campaign" targeting Japanese tourists, utilizing "cuisine," which is the top reason Japanese travelers prefer visiting Korea, until November this year.

According to the 2024 survey of potential inbound travelers, the number one factor influencing Japanese tourists' decision to visit Korea was "delicious local Korean food," accounting for 45%. This is significantly higher than the average for all foreign visitors, which stands at 32.8%. Through this campaign, the Korea Tourism Organization stated that it aims to connect Japanese tourists' demand for Korean food with regional travel.

Last year, the Korea Tourism Organization attracted more than 1,600 Japanese tourists through regional specialty food campaigns held in Daegu and Suwon alone. This year, the campaign will expand to include more local governments, such as Gwangju, Gangwon, and Jeonbuk, in order to further accelerate efforts to attract Japanese tourists.

This year’s campaign will feature five representative dishes from different regions, including Suwon Wanggalbi, Daegu Makchang, Chuncheon Dakgalbi, Jeonju Makgeolli, and Gwangju Tteokgalbi, making them more accessible to visitors. Special benefits for Japanese tourists have been prepared, such as developing single-serving portions of Makchang, Dakgalbi, and Makgeolli side dishes, and making dishes that were previously only available as lunch specials accessible throughout the day.

Tourists participating in the campaign will receive coupon books offering discounts at local attractions and nearby shops, aiming to boost regional consumption. In the second half of the year, well-known Japanese influencers will be invited to Korea to introduce these regional specialty foods as well.

Jung Geunhee, head of the Japan team at the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, "By April this year, the number of Japanese tourists visiting Korea reached approximately 1.04 million, an increase of more than 16% compared to the same period last year, showing a strong recovery trend." He added, "Through customized marketing for Japanese visitors, the Korea Tourism Organization will work to disperse tourism demand, currently concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, to other regions and contribute to revitalizing local economies."