The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization said April 22 they had finalized the results of the 17th Tourism Venture Project competition. The agencies plan to provide up to 100 million won per company in commercialization funding, along with other support.
The competition drew more than 1,500 applications, up 35.2% from a year earlier, for a 15-to-1 competition rate. The organization selected 20 pre-startup teams, 40 early-stage ventures and 40 growth-stage ventures, for a total of 100.
◆ AI and deep-tech models stand out in customized travel services
AI-based tourism services were prominent among the winners. Selected companies included Hanora Kids Trip, which optimizes routes for travelers with children; Ripplemate, a multilingual customer management platform for tourism operators; Zerobata, a hotel AI concierge service operating in 30 languages; and KEEPER, an automation platform for managing lodging spaces. Organizers said the companies are expected to help drive digital transformation across the tourism sector.
◆ K-culture boom fuels products aimed at foreign visitors
Several selected offerings targeted inbound travelers amid the global K-culture boom. They included Celetrip, which offers fan-tailored tours using K-pop artists’ voice guides; Fanwork, which links K-culture fans’ interest in visiting South Korea to experiential products; Handybus, a mobility platform focused on K-pop concerts; and Gotaek Live Dining, an arts-tourism program for foreigners combining hanok performances and food.
◆ Local and wellness trends reflected in lifestyle tourism
Other ventures focused on hands-on experiences tied to local culture and lifestyle travel. They included Temple Run, combining temple culture with running; Chungcheongdo Saecham Hansang, blending the region’s bobusang merchant culture with food; Meongkok, an immersive pet-tourism platform based on user-generated content data; and Dear Cabin, a high-end nature stay using luxury cabins.
The 100 selected companies will receive tiered funding of up to 100 million won. They will also be offered tailored programs by growth stage, including business diagnostics and mentoring, consulting, support for attracting investment, and help expanding sales channels at home and abroad. The ministry said it also plans to pursue supplementary budget support to strengthen competitiveness across the tourism industry.
Min Jeong-hui, head of the tourism business startup team at the Korea Tourism Organization, said innovative ideas stood out this year for combining AI technology with the appeal of Korean culture. She said the program has identified more than 1,800 companies and created more than 5,300 jobs so far, and the organization will help promising firms grow steadily in the market.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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