20 Group Tourists from Northeast China Visit Gyeongju... President Kim Namil Calls It a Signal for New Market Entry

On July 23, Gyeongbuk Province and the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Organization (President Kim Namil) held a welcoming event at Bulguksa in Gyeongju for the first group of 20 tourists entering Korea through the newly launched Gyeongbuk group tour package from Northeast China.

This successful attraction of a group tour was achieved in conjunction with the '2025 APEC Gyeongju Summit' and the '2025 Visit Gyeongbuk Year.' The Gyeongbuk Province and the Organization, in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization's Shenyang office and six leading local travel agencies, jointly developed the '2025 APEC Gyeongju Tour Package.' This marks the first case where such a product has led to actual recruitment and visits to Korea, representing a meaningful achievement that signals Gyeongbuk tourism's entry into the Northeast China market.

A group of 20 tour group visitors from Northeast China are visiting Gyeongju and taking a commemorative photo.

Since the beginning of this year, Gyeongbuk Province and the Organization, together with the Korea Tourism Organization, have carried out diverse marketing activities targeting Chinese-speaking travel agents. These efforts have included the Gyeongbuk Mega Fam Tour, proposals for tourism products, the introduction of incentive programs, and content promotion. In particular, at the 'International Gyeongbuk Tourism Industry Exchange Fair' held in Shenyang, China this past June, they signed an MOU with the Liaoning Provincial Culture and Tourism Association and held a Gyeongbuk tourism briefing for over 200 local travel agencies, thereby expanding the foundation for cooperation.

Gyeongbuk Province and the Organization expect that, with the successful attraction of this group, demand for Gyeongbuk tourism in Northeast China will gradually increase. To ensure the continued sales and market establishment of Gyeongbuk group tour packages, they plan to strengthen promotions targeting general consumers and to focus on sales promotions and the development of diverse tourism products for travel agencies, in cooperation with the Korea Tourism Organization, through 2026.

Kim Namil, President of the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Organization, stated, "Northeast China has been a new market where Gyeongbuk tourism had not yet made a full-scale entry." He added, "This achievement serves as a signal for pioneering a new market. Based on the brand value of Gyeongbuk as the host of the 2025 APEC Summit, we will strengthen marketing efforts so that Gyeongbuk can establish itself as a leading Korean destination in Northeast China."