The Gyeongbuk Cultural Tourism Corporation (President Kim Namil) announced on November 26 that, as the first phase of its Post-APEC strategy, it visited Dubai and Qatar to pioneer the Middle Eastern tourism market and establish local partnerships, aiming to leverage Gyeongbuk’s heightened international profile after the APEC Summit to expand its tourism market.
The corporation has been continuously working to connect the enhanced urban competitiveness and global recognition gained through hosting the 2025 APEC Summit with the expansion of overseas tourism markets. These efforts include participating in major international tourism expos, expanding its overseas network, and discovering global cooperation projects.
Employees of the Gyeongbuk Cultural Tourism Corporation visited "KOREA 360," established according to the government's Hallyu expansion strategy, during their Dubai schedule to check the status of the Gyeongbuk promotional zone operation.
In particular, the corporation has designated the Middle East, which has recently emerged as a premium tourism market, as a core strategic market. It has signed an MOU with the "Arab Society," an association of Arab ambassadors to Korea, and organized familiarization tours for staff from Arab embassies, thereby gradually expanding its foundation for entering the Middle Eastern market.
The ancient city of Gyeongju, a key hub at the eastern end of the Silk Road, has long maintained active exchanges with the Arab world. Symbolic examples of Silla’s cultural connections with the Arab world a thousand years ago include the sulfur artifacts at the Bulguksa Museum, the Western-style attire of the stone statues at Gwaerung, Silla people's depictions of polo scenes featuring Westerners, and the Cheoyong legend.
Based on this historical and cultural narrative and Gyeongju’s city brand, the corporation selected the Middle East as the first strategic market for the Post-APEC era and, as part of this initiative, laid the groundwork for entry into the Middle Eastern market through this visit to Dubai and Qatar.
During its Dubai schedule, the corporation visited "KOREA 360," established according to the government’s Hallyu expansion strategy, to inspect the operation status of the Gyeongbuk promotional zone. It also visited the Korea Creative Content Agency Dubai Center for in-depth discussions on joint marketing strategies linking the Korean Wave boom in the Middle East with Gyeongbuk tourism.
In addition, through meetings with the KOTRA Dubai Trade Center, the corporation discussed promotional strategies for Gyeongbuk’s culture and tourism in the Middle Eastern market and broadly reviewed opportunities for expanding networks with local organizations.
Meanwhile, in Doha, Qatar, the corporation reviewed the status of the Gyeongbuk promotional desk within the Qatar Travel Mart (QTM), which introduces Gyeongbuk’s premium tourism content such as wellness and MICE. It also held concrete discussions with the Korea Tourism Organization Dubai Office on joint marketing and cooperation measures to increase visits to Gyeongbuk by Middle Eastern tourists to Korea.
President Kim Namil stated, “This visit to the Middle East is an important attempt to translate Gyeongbuk’s elevated international brand value, achieved through APEC, into tangible results. We will continue to strengthen our connection with the Middle Eastern premium tourism market, pioneer a new Silk Road, and further raise the international status of Gyeongbuk tourism.”
The Gyeongbuk Cultural Tourism Corporation plans to continue developing the millennium-long history of exchanges between Silla and the Arab world into modern tourism content and to actively promote international cultural events such as the tentatively named ‘Korea-Arab International Cultural Festival’ to expand the influx of Middle Eastern tourists and spread the achievements of the Post-APEC era.
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