**Korea Tourism Organization and Japan Association of Travel Agents Jointly Select ‘30 Scenic Spots of Korea’**
As the number of Korean tourists visiting Japan skyrockets to nearly one million per month, the Korean government is also taking steps to attract Japanese tourists.
The Korea Tourism Organization, in collaboration with the Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), has selected ‘30 Scenic Spots of Korea’ to attract Japanese tourists using this theme. The ‘30 Scenic Spots’ were curated with the aim of drawing Japanese interest and promoting domestic regional travel through unique content from various areas. The selection was made from the finalists of the Korea Tourism Contest (Photography Section), with the final decision made by Korean product experts from 14 JATA-affiliated travel agencies, considering factors like accessibility, connection to nearby tourist attractions, and regional specialty foods.
The list includes popular favorites such as Seoraksan (Gangwon-do Yangyang), Hahoe Village (Gyeongbuk Andong), and Haedong Yonggungsa (Busan Gijang), as well as lesser-known places to Japanese tourists like Saebyeol Oreum (Jeju), Suncheon Bay National Garden and Wetland (Jeonnam Suncheon), and Maisan (Jeonbuk Jinan). Notably, places in Seoul are excluded to encourage regional visits by Japanese tourists.
The tourism organization plans to hold seminars for trip planning and promotion of the ‘30 Scenic Spots’ in Tokyo (March 11), Osaka (March 13), and Fukuoka (March 14). Additionally, a familiarization tour for major Japanese media and travel agency representatives will include visits to places like Daereungwon and Donggung Palace and Wolji Pond in Gyeongju. At the end of the year, in partnership with JATA, they will hold a contest for ‘30 Scenic Spots Travel Products’, awarding excellent products and employing various incentive policies to encourage product launches.
In Korea, the number of tourists visiting Japan has significantly increased post-COVID-19, with nearly one million visiting per month this year. Last year saw a noticeable interest in Japan among Koreans, with 68.3% of total travelers visiting Japan, averaging 2.37 visits each. This means that many traveled to Japan more than once.
Given the cultural similarities between the two countries in areas such as cuisine and lifestyle, Korea is also expected to actively attract Japanese tourists. Kim Gwan-mi, Director of the Japan Regional Center, stated, “Over 80% of Japanese tourists visited Seoul and the metropolitan area (2023 Foreign Visitor Survey). The organization plans to brand regional tourism by discovering local culinary and scenic content and will undertake various projects to address the concentration of tourists in the metropolitan area.”