Pohang City Accelerates Overseas Marketing to Become a Global Tourism and MICE Hub

Full-scale Bid to Host 2027 TPO General Assembly
Targeted Marketing Strategies Including Fam Tours for International Students and Expansion into the Chinese Tourism Market

Pohang City has officially begun its efforts to attract international events and develop overseas tourism markets, aiming to establish itself as a global tourism and MICE city.

On the 14th, a group including professors from Shandong University in Shandong Province, China, visited Pohang City Hall and took a commemorative photo. Provided by Pohang City

The city is making a concerted effort to host the 13th TPO (Tourism Promotion Organization for Asia Pacific Cities) General Assembly in 2027.

TPO, founded in 2002 in Busan, is an international tourism cooperation organization in the Asia-Pacific region. Currently, it has more than 140 member cities and over 50 private organizations from 17 countries.

Member cities share tourism policies, carry out joint marketing initiatives, and discuss directions for international tourism cooperation at the General Assembly held every two years. Hosting the assembly provides the host city with opportunities to expand its global tourism network and enhance its city brand, making this bid an important challenge for Pohang to strengthen its international standing.

Pohang City is leveraging its appeal as a leading marine tourism city on the East Coast and its MICE infrastructure, including the Pohang International Convention Center, to compete for the event. On August 14, the city met with representatives from TPO member cities in China, seeking their support and cooperation for the bid.

During the meeting, the city highlighted its unique tourism assets such as Space Walk, Yeongildae Marine Pavilion, and Homigot Sunrise Park, as well as its rich industrial and cultural infrastructure, actively promoting its competitiveness as a host. A city official emphasized, "Pohang is a city where industry and tourism, cutting-edge and tradition coexist, and it has a solid foundation to grow as a global tourism city."

With visa-free entry for Chinese tourists set to begin on September 29, the city is also accelerating its efforts to target the Chinese tourism market by implementing tailored marketing strategies to capture demand from Chinese-speaking tourists.

As a first step, the city plans to organize a familiarization tour for international students in the Daegu and Gyeongbuk regions, allowing them to experience Pohang's major tourist attractions and cultural content firsthand. The aim is to naturally promote Pohang's appeal in China through social media influence among younger generations, thereby laying the groundwork for attracting group tourists in the future.

In addition, the city will pursue a multi-faceted marketing strategy, including strengthening online promotion of major tourist sites, producing content with Chinese influencers, and providing incentives for group tourists.

Lee Sanghyun, Director of the Tourism and Convention City Promotion Headquarters, stated, "By hosting the TPO General Assembly, we aim to elevate Pohang's international profile and actively target the Chinese tourism market by leveraging the visa-free policy. We will continue to strengthen overseas marketing to increase tourist inflow and revitalize the local economy."