Government seeks to boost foreign tourists’ regional travel, expand international flights and improve transport payments

[Financial News] Measures are being pursued to improve transport convenience from arrival at the airport to onward travel to destinations, in a bid to increase foreign tourists’ visits to regional areas. Key tasks include expanding international flights at regional airports and creating payment options that allow fares to be paid without a separate transit card.
According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on the 2nd, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST) and the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT) held the “Third Tourism-Transport Policy Council” at 2 p.m. that day at the Government Complex Sejong and discussed ways to address travel inconveniences for visitors to Korea.
Launched in May this year, the council is co-chaired by director-general-level officials from the two ministries and includes officials responsible for tourism and transport policy. It is a consultative body that links tourism content with aviation and transport infrastructure to reduce obstacles to entering the country and traveling to regional destinations.
The meeting discussed revitalizing regional airports, improving foreign tourists’ access to rail and bus services, upgrading taxi and map services, and developing a brand for stay-based tourism.
The meeting addressed ways to promote an “open-loop” transport payment system. It allows passengers to pay fares with credit or debit cards, among other options, without having to obtain a separate transit card.
MOLIT plans to increase international flights by expanding operating slots at regional airports and prioritizing the allocation of flights to Korea, among other measures. It also plans to improve rail, bus and taxi services connecting airports with regional destinations, as well as the payment options available.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) have been piloting the K-Tour Pass, an integrated transport and tourism discount pass exclusively for foreign visitors, in Busan since the first of last month. The program combines discounts on transportation to Busan with benefits at tourist attractions to help visitors travel to and around the region.
The two ministries will also follow up on projects identified at the “Cooperation Forum for Promoting Regional Tourism Linked to Regional Airports,” held this year in Daegu, Busan and Yangyang County. They plan to gather input from the public and experts at a comprehensive forum at the National Assembly this coming December and incorporate it into next year’s joint project plans.
Kang Jeong-won, head of the Tourism Policy Office at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, “Spreading to the regions the success of attracting a record-high number of visitors to Korea is a task for the era of 30 million foreign visitors,” and stressed the importance of combining tourism content and marketing with aviation and transport infrastructure.
[email protected] Jang In-seo Reporter