The Key to Attracting 30 Million Inbound Tourists Lies in the Regions... Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Holds Tourism Meeting with 17 Provinces and Cities

Discussion on Local Airports, Lodging Industry Promotion, and Price Gouging Improvements
Follow-up Measures to the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 28th that it held a meeting of directors of tourism departments from all 17 provinces and metropolitan cities at the Government Complex Sejong to discuss implementation plans for regional tourism policies.

President Lee Jae-myung is speaking at the Expanded National Tourism Strategy Meeting held at the Blue House on the 25th. Photo by Yonhap News

This meeting was organized as a follow-up to the "Major Transformation in Inbound Tourism and Regional Tourism Leap Forward Initiative," which was announced at the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting presided over by the President in February. The Ministry believes that the leading role of local governments is crucial for expanding inbound tourism and revitalizing regional tourism, and discussed measures for cooperation between central and local governments.

The main agenda items included designating local airports as hubs for inbound tourism, strengthening the support system for the lodging industry, establishing region-specific tourism zones, introducing a performance management system for tourism development projects, fostering specialized tourism content for each region, and improving the overall readiness of regions to receive tourists.

The Ministry also listened to key issues and challenges faced by each region in the process of implementing tourism policies. The feedback from the field will be reflected in future policy initiatives.

With the recent amendment to the Framework Act on Tourism elevating the National Tourism Strategy Meeting to a body under the direct authority of the President, the Ministry plans to further strengthen the cooperation system between the central and local governments.

Kang Jeongwon, policy chief for tourism at the Ministry, stated, "The real battleground for reaching 30 million inbound tourists will ultimately be in the regions, and the key to success lies with local governments. The Ministry will communicate even more closely with local governments to achieve a major leap in tourism that can be felt by both citizens and foreign tourists."

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