The Korea Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, has announced that they will be recruiting local governments to participate in the “Digital Tourism Resident Card” project until the 14th of next month. The Tourism Resident Card is an honorary type of resident identification issued to areas experiencing population decline. Cardholders can enjoy various discounts in fields such as sightseeing, experiences, lodging, dining, and shopping.
The organization launched a pilot project at the end of 2022 and expanded the service to cover 34 regions nationwide by 2024. Through collaborative promotions with transportation and accommodation reservation platforms, the benefits of the Tourism Resident Card have been strengthened, resulting in over 4.11 million cards being issued by the end of last year.
This year, they plan to select up to 11 new regions by comprehensively reviewing the major benefits and content appeal of participating areas, the willingness of local governments to participate, and the connection between business and regions. With the addition of more regions through this recruitment, citizens will be able to use the Tourism Resident Card in up to 45 areas. This covers more than 50% of the 89 domestic regions experiencing population decline, allowing tourists to enjoy various benefits at over 1,000 locations.
Detailed information related to the recruitment can be found in the announcements on the Korea Tourism Information Portal “TourRAZ.” Lee Sang-min, Head of the National Tourism Office at the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, “Along with the selection of new regions this year, we will strengthen benefits for loyal customers and expand specialized travel products linked to regional tourist attractions, thereby enhancing the activation and satisfaction of Tourism Resident Card usage.”