The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is launching a major tourism marketing campaign in conjunction with the BTS concert in Busan scheduled for June 12-13. The initiative aims to extend the reach of foreign tourists beyond Busan to nearby regions.
According to the KTO on June 4, the campaign will coincide with the fan event "BTS The City Arirang-Busan," which will take place around the concert dates. "The City" is a fan event that offers various attractions in the host city during the concert period.
Throughout June, the KTO will collaborate with Naver and the travel industry to highlight the region's tourism appeal. The "BE LOCAL" campaign will promote ten major tourist spots in Busan to foreign visitors via Naver Maps. Additionally, special travel product exhibitions will be held in partnership with global online platforms such as Klook, KKday, and Nolyuniverse. The KTO also plans to expand existing themed travel packages, which currently focus on Seoul and Pyeongchang, to include Busan in collaboration with Hana Tour ITC.
Efforts to enhance accessibility and convenience for international visitors will also be prioritized. A special page will be created on the integrated tourism platform "Visit Korea" to provide comprehensive information on key attractions, safety, and transportation. The KTO will utilize its overseas social media channels to promote essential information such as entry procedures and payment methods, while also offering concierge services to global influencers, including K-culture and food experience vouchers. Furthermore, promotional booths for incoming visitors will be set up at Gimhae International Airport, and a concert-specific manual will be introduced for the 1330 tourism interpretation service to address real-time inconveniences.
The KTO will also support a welcoming event for tourists organized by Busan Metropolitan City. From now until June 21, a welcome center at the Eurasia Platform in Busan Station will promote local travel products, and during the concert period, a tourism promotion booth will be set up at the outdoor plaza of the Asiad Main Stadium. Notably, the KTO plans to attract global fans' attention using the "Taegeuk Fan," which gained popularity by appearing in a BTS music video.
Additionally, the KTO is committed to preventing unfair practices that could tarnish the tourist experience, such as overcharging. On June 8, the KTO will conduct a joint campaign with Busan Metropolitan City, Busanjin District, the Busan Tourism Association, and the Busan branch of the Korea Hotel Association in the Seomyeon area. The campaign will involve visiting major accommodation and commercial establishments to encourage fair pricing and friendly service.
Since January, the KTO has been sharing tourism complaint data with Busan City to monitor the situation. The organization aims to strengthen collaboration with relevant agencies to prevent issues such as unilateral booking cancellations or excessive accommodation price hikes, and will seek cooperation with law enforcement if necessary. A nationwide tourism service monitoring campaign called "Pleasant Interference" will run until the end of October, allowing the public to report unfair practices like overcharging or hygiene issues at major tourist sites through QR codes or the "Korea Everywhere" website.
Han Yeok, head of the KTO's International Tourism Content Division, stated, "Large-scale Hallyu events present an optimal opportunity to encourage foreign visitors to explore local areas. We will actively support collaboration with the private sector and local governments to ensure that overseas fans' interest translates into regional tourism."
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.