Era of 10.71 Million Inbound Tourists to Korea... Korea and Japan Seek Solutions for Regional Distribution of Visitors

Korean Culture and Tourism Institute and Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute Sign 7th Research Cooperation MOU in Tokyo

Comparing Hot Springs, K-Beauty, and Regional Tourism Promotion Systems

On-site Assessment of Overtourism in Asakusa

Tourism research institutes in Korea and Japan are joining forces to address a surge in inbound tourists by seeking policy solutions to distribute foreign visitors beyond major cities and promote longer stays and increased spending in regional areas.

Korea Culture and Tourism Institute and Japan Transportation Corporation Sign 7th Research Cooperation MOU in Tokyo. Korea Culture and Tourism Institute

On July 28, the Korean Culture and Tourism Institute announced that it held the “2026 Korea-Japan International Tourism Seminar” at the headquarters of the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute (JTBF) in Tokyo and signed the 7th Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for research cooperation. The seminar focused on “Revitalizing Inbound Tourism and Strategies for Regional Tourism Development.” The main topics included fostering tourism content in both countries, decentralizing inbound tourist flows to regional areas, and comparing the organizational and financial structures that support regional tourism initiatives in Korea and Japan.

Both countries face the task of translating growth in foreign tourist numbers into tangible economic benefits for regional economies. In the first half of this year, 10.71 million foreigners visited Korea, up 21.3% from the same period a year ago. However, only 34.2% of these visitors traveled outside the Seoul metropolitan area in the second quarter, just 2.8 percentage points higher than the previous year, highlighting that efforts to ease the concentration of tourist demand in the capital region are still ongoing.

Japan recorded an all-time high of 42.68 million foreign visitors in 2025. Under the 5th Basic Plan for Tourism-Based Country Promotion, which will be implemented from this year through 2030, the Japanese government set targets of 60 million foreign visitors and 15 trillion yen in travel spending. At the same time, key policy goals include attracting tourists to regional areas, expanding transportation networks, addressing congestion and order at major destinations, and ensuring harmony between tourism and local residents’ daily lives. For both countries, the next challenge is not only increasing the number of tourists, but also encouraging longer and more meaningful stays—and higher spending—in a wider range of local destinations.

The seminar featured four presentations on these topics. Shun Maeshiro, Senior Researcher at the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute, introduced policies for sustainable development of hot spring towns as tourism resources. Jin-Young Kim, Associate Research Fellow at the Korean Culture and Tourism Institute, proposed ways to expand K-Beauty beyond medical and beauty services, linking it with regional cuisine, natural resources, and wellness, to promote the spread of inbound tourism demand to local areas in Korea.

Donghyun Kim, Research Fellow, compared the regional tourism promotion systems of Korea and Japan with a presentation titled "A Comparative Study of Regional Tourism Policies in Korea and Japan: Intersection of Institutions, Finance, and Organization." Toshinori Ebisawa, Senior Researcher at the Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute, explained Japan's regional attraction policies and local-led business cases for increasing both the visitation scope and average length of stay for tourists. The Japanese government, in its new tourism plan, has also prioritized establishing cross-regional cooperation frameworks, strengthening transportation infrastructure, and developing local unique content to boost regional tourism.

Cooperation between the two institutes began in 2005. Since the signing of their 3rd MOU in 2014, they have held joint seminars in both countries to compare tourism markets and policy issues. The Japan Transport and Tourism Research Institute is a nonprofit foundation separated from the travel company JTB, specializing in tourism research and policy analysis. The new 7th MOU will further expand cooperation, including joint seminars and greater exchange of research materials.

On July 29, the Korean institute will visit Asakusa in Taito City, Tokyo, to examine local cases addressing overtourism. Discussions with officials from Taito City will cover strategies to mitigate congestion and resident inconvenience caused by tourist crowds, as well as the current status of regional policy implementation under the 5th Basic Plan for Tourism-Based Country Promotion. In the new plan, the Japanese government has set the decentralization of tourists and reduction of congestion and friction in certain local areas, as well as ensuring the quality of life for local residents, as key pillars.

Hwang Gyoik, President of the Korean Culture and Tourism Institute, stated, “This was an opportunity to share experiences and policies to boost the competitiveness of tourism content and spread tourism demand to regional areas in both countries. Based on the trust built over more than 20 years, we will continue to expand research exchanges, including joint seminars.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.