[NE Coffee Chat] Goodmate Travel: "We Aim to Become an Asian Group Tour Company Embodying Korean Hospitality"

Interview with JaeHyo Choi, CEO of Goodmate Travel

The Essence of Travel Is Connecting People

Experience-Focused, Distinctive Programs for Foreign Visitors Gain Popularity

What is the true nature of travel? For JaeHyo Choi, CEO of Goodmate Travel, the answer to this difficult question is simple: it is all about "people." This is not just a casual response. After nearly four years of backpacking through 27 countries in his early twenties, he says that what stayed with him most were the people he met. Drawing on those experiences, Choi now designs travel experiences that center on people—experiences where emotions flow and relationships are built. His focus is on foreigners visiting Korea. With the increasing popularity of K-pop, K-dramas, and other aspects of Korean culture, more international travelers are coming to Korea. We spoke with Choi about the people those travelers meet and how they will remember Korea.

On April 30, Choi said, "Our travels are about connecting people," adding, "When people spend time together, they form bonds and create communities." Goodmate Travel offers a variety of travel products and services targeted at English-speaking foreigners, primarily focusing on experience-based tours such as food, hiking, and market visits. Choi explained, "Our tours differentiate themselves by offering themed experiences such as BTS ARMY tours, K-drama filming location tours, art tours, and Korean language camps."

Jae-hyo Choi, CEO of Goodmate Travel (center), is taking photos with foreign participants during a tour in Busan. Goodmate Travel

Because the company champions people-centered travel, special attention is paid to the guides travelers first encounter. "We have hosts from diverse backgrounds—flight attendants, athletes, idol trainees, photographers, film directors, and office workers," he said. "We also provide educational programs so that these unique hosts can feel a sense of belonging." This approach extends to trips outside Seoul as well. Choi noted, "Even on a 7-night, 8-day package tour, we connect travelers with regional experts and locally based guides. For example, in Busan, a chef native to the city introduces restaurants, while in Gyeongju, a former local government official leads history tours."

This direction for Goodmate Travel is deeply rooted in Choi's personal experience. In 2018, while working as an office employee, he launched a market tour product in the Airbnb Experiences category and began guiding tours himself, thus starting his journey in the travel industry. As this product gained popularity, it generated more profit than his salary, leading him to decide to make meeting people through travel and providing value to them his full-time work.

Goodmate Travel has proven its competitiveness by more than doubling its growth each year. With the steady rise of foreign tourists, the outlook remains bright. This year, the company expects to attract 20,000 travelers. There is another goal as well: to expand this business model to the global market. The company plans to enter Japan first this year, with Vietnam as the next target. "We are taking reservations to operate themed group tours for foreigners in the Japanese market starting from November," he said. Even in the global market, the consistent core of Goodmate Travel remains designing individual experiences for foreigners—what Choi calls the "hospitality industry." He added, "Hospitality and consideration for others, rooted in Korean sensibility, make foreigners feel carefully looked after. We will continue to provide services that allow all participants to blend together and develop into an Asian group tour company."

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