- January–May 2026: foreign tourists up 18.3% and their spending up 34.1% compared to the same period last year

- Tourism product development and marketing strengthened to foster Gyeongju as a “key inbound tourism route”

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), together with the Korea Tourism Organization, will pursue a range of support measures to establish Gyeongju—which gained worldwide recognition through the successful hosting of the “2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit”—as a new key destination on Korea’s inbound tourism “Golden Route,” after the Seoul metropolitan area.

Indeed, Gyeongju has posted remarkable tourism results this year. According to the Korea Tourism Data Lab, the number of foreign tourists who visited Gyeongju from January to May this year reached approximately 569,000, an 18.3% increase from the same period last year, while their spending also surged 34.1% to KRW 11.1 billion. During the same period, the number of domestic tourists surpassed 20.97 million, recording a 7.1% growth rate—raising Gyeongju’s profile as a destination beloved by both domestic and international visitors.

Developing and Marketing Tourism Products Highlighting Gyeongju’s Appeal; Tailored Promotion in Taiwan, Japan, Hong Kong, and China via Regional International Airports

The MCST is developing and marketing tourism content that showcases Gyeongju’s appeal so that the benefits of inbound tourism can be dispersed across regions and felt locally. In April, it attracted around 540 tourists by selling a “Run-trip” product linked to the Gyeongju Cherry Blossom Marathon, and it is also actively partnering with local international airports. For markets such as Taiwan and Japan, which have direct routes to nearby Daegu International Airport, the Ministry will promote tourism products connecting Gyeongju and its surrounding areas year-round. Through Gimhae International Airport, it will offer tourism products for the Hong Kong market, linking attractions such as the Haman Nakhwa Nori (Traditional Firework Festival), held in July, and Gyeongju’s Bulguksa Temple, thereby expanding distinctive regional travel experiences. In addition, leveraging the APEC legacy, the Ministry will develop and promote a tourism product following the footsteps of the Korea-China Summit in Gyeongju for the Chinese market, and for the Japanese market, it will pursue online and offline promotion targeting Japanese travel agencies and consumers, centered on “30 Selected Small Cities of Korea” content that introduces the appeal of Korea’s regional cities.

In September, the Ministry plans to hold a familiarization tour (fam tour) for member agencies of “Serandipians,” a global network of luxury travel agencies, to encourage the development of premium tourism products. In November, it plans to invite well-known overseas content creators (influencers) to promote the appeal of Gyeongju and its surrounding areas to local audiences through social media (SNS).