'Half-Price Travel, Funds, and Second Tourism Zone': Full-Scale Effort to Revitalize Regional Tourism Industry

First Meeting of the Task Force for Strengthening Service Industry Competitiveness

The government is set to revitalize regional tourism by establishing a 'Second Tourism Zone' outside the Seoul metropolitan area, launching a 'Half-Price Travel' program that refunds half of regional travel expenses, and creating new regional tourism funds. The plan aims to boost the number of inbound tourists, which is expected to reach a record 20 million this year, to 30 million by 2030, positioning Korea as a major global tourism powerhouse.

On October 2, the government held the first meeting of the 'Task Force for Strengthening Service Industry Competitiveness,' chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Finance Koo Yooncheol, at the Korea Enterprises Federation Conference Center to discuss these measures.

On the morning of the 1st, with clear weather, tourists visiting Hyuaeri Natural Life Park in Namwon-eup, Seogwipo City, Jeju, are enjoying autumn in the pink muhly garden. Photo by Yonhap News

Regional Tourism Stagnation... Second Tourism Zone Candidates to Be Selected Within the Year

Revitalizing regional tourism is a structural challenge for Korea's tourism industry. As a significant proportion of inbound tourists stay only in the Seoul metropolitan area before departing, regional tourism continues to stagnate. According to a 2024 survey of inbound tourists, the Seoul visit rate reached 78.4%, while Gyeonggi Province was 10.0%, Busan 16.2%, and Jeju 9.9%.

The government cited Japan's example, which has both Tokyo and the Osaka tourism zone attracting over 10 million visitors annually, and announced plans to create large-scale regional tourism zones domestically. The strategy is to link 'gateway cities' with adjacent 'connected cities' to foster a globally competitive second tourism zone. The government plans to select around two leading regions within this year and will announce a roadmap for project implementation thereafter.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwiyeong previously stated, "Within this year, we will select two to three candidate sites for the second tourism zone, develop them in cooperation with local governments for a year, and then provide focused support to one or two promising regions."

Policies to boost domestic travel demand, as well as attract inbound tourists, are also being implemented. The half-price travel policy will refund half of travel expenses for trips to regions experiencing population decline in rural and fishing villages. Individuals can receive up to 100,000 won, and groups up to 200,000 won, with 50% of their expenses refunded in the form of local gift certificates.

Additionally, to encourage longer stays, the government will introduce discount coupons for extended overnight stays and island accommodations, and expand support for half-price vacations for workers. Under this scheme, if an employee pays 200,000 won, the government and employer each contribute an additional 100,000 won. The number of beneficiaries will increase from 65,000 this year to 100,000 next year.

50% of Travel Expenses Refunded as Local Gift Certificates in Population-Declining Areas

To expand regional tourism infrastructure, the government will invest 20 billion won to create a regional tourism fund capable of attracting up to 200 billion won in total investment. In addition, existing Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism-led travel campaigns, such as 'Autumn for Traveling,' will be expanded into cross-ministerial initiatives in collaboration with relevant ministries and economic organizations.

The government also plans to leverage the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit, to be held in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, from October 31 to November 1, as a springboard for regional tourism revitalization. With world leaders in attendance, the event will draw intense international media attention, providing an opportunity to showcase Korea's cities, culture, and tourism infrastructure, thereby maximizing regional promotional effects. Even after the summit, the government will pursue 'legacy projects' by utilizing the venue as a space for international conferences and business events, establishing a foundation for sustained regional tourism growth.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to elevate the service industry task force, which had previously operated mainly as a vice-ministerial consultative body, to a consultative body chaired by the Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs starting this year. Collaboration with economic organizations will be strengthened to better identify and communicate on-the-ground needs and actively involve stakeholders in developing solutions. The task force meetings will be held semiannually in principle, with subcommittees organized by function and industry sector.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.