[2025 Audit] Pet-Friendly Travelers Spend 3.3 Times More Than Others... Government Budget to Drop Sharply Next Year

74% of Pet Owners Say They Have Traveled With Their Pets
Only Six Pet-Friendly Cities Designated, With No Plans for Expansion

Pets are enjoying water play at the water playground. Photo by Yonhap News

Although "pet-friendly tourism" has become a new travel trend, there are concerns that government institutional and financial support remains at a rudimentary level. Despite the normalization of traveling with pets, critics argue that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization have not adequately established policies or budgets to support this trend.

On October 19, Assemblyman Jin Jongoh of the National Assembly's Culture, Sports and Tourism Committee emphasized, "We live in an era where one out of every three citizens is a pet owner, yet the government's response is lagging behind. There is a real need for practical policy commitment, such as expanding pet-friendly tourism cities and establishing clear legal standards."

According to KB Financial Group's "2025 Korea Pet Report," the number of pet owners in Korea has steadily increased from 15.16 million in 2022 to 15.46 million this year. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs' "3rd Comprehensive Animal Welfare Plan (2025)" also shows that 28.6% of households are raising pets, with the number of pet dogs estimated at about 5 million.

A survey by the Korea Tourism Organization found that 74.1% of pet owners had traveled with their pets in the past year. This demonstrates that "pet-friendly travel" has become more than just a trend and is now part of everyday life and culture.

According to the "2024 Survey on the Status and Perceptions of Pet-Friendly Travel," released by Assemblyman Jin, tourists traveling with pets spent about 3.3 times more than general tourists. The average expenditure for a day trip was 127,000 won, while overnight trips exceeded 300,000 won, confirming both strong spending power and the potential size of this market.

Pet owners are enjoying a walk with their dogs. Photo by Yonhap News

Since 2023, the Korea Tourism Organization has designated six cities-Ulsan, Taean, Suncheon, Pocheon, Gyeongju, and Iksan-as "pet-friendly tourism cities." However, there are currently no plans to designate additional cities.

An official from the organization stated, "We are continuing to provide ongoing support to the cities already designated, but due to budget constraints, it is difficult to hold new public offerings."

According to the budget details obtained by Assemblyman Jin, the budget for related projects has not increased. In fact, it is expected to decrease starting next year.

Assemblyman Jin criticized, "Pet-friendly tourism is a new market and an opportunity to revitalize local economies. If the government fails to keep up with reality, it is essentially giving up on a growing industry."

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