Five Major Tourist Zones to Be Developed Centered on Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Yangyang, and Muan Airports with KRW 93.5 Billion Investment

Ministry to Foster “Korea Inbound Golden Routes” Centered on Regional Airports
Aiming for 5 Million Regional Arrivals by 2029
Enhanced Support for Transportation, Content, and Overseas Marketing

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will foster the "Five Major Tourist Zones Centered on Regional Airports," connecting nearby tourist cities using Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Yangyang, and Muan regional airports as hubs. A total of KRW 93.5 billion in central and local government funding will be allocated next year, aiming to reduce the concentration of foreign tourists in the Seoul metropolitan area and reach 5 million regional arrivals by 2029.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism finalized the "Five Major Tourism Zones Centered on Regional Airports" on the 10th. The key is to expand the regional stay of foreign tourists by linking nearby tourist cities through Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Yangyang, and Muan Airports as gateways. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

On September 10th, the ministry announced that it has finalized the five major tourist zones after a review by the Tourist Zone Selection Committee, which is composed of private sector tourism experts. The evaluation comprehensively examined tourism appeal, transportation infrastructure, demand from international tourists, and future expansion potential.

The selected zones are: △Gimhae Airport Zone "Busan-Gyeongju-Ulsan-Geoje/Tongyeong"; △Daegu Airport Zone "Daegu-Gyeongju-Andong"; △Cheongju Airport Zone "Cheongju-Gongju/Buyeo-Iksan/Jeonju"; △Yangyang Airport Zone "Yangyang-Gangneung-Sokcho"; △Muan Airport Zone "Muan/Mokpo-Gwangju-Yeosu." The Gimhae and Daegu Airport Zones will be developed as a unified region with Gyeongju as the connecting hub.

The Gimhae Airport Zone will link Busan’s K-culture and marine/leisure experiences, Ulsan’s industrial and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) sector, Geoje and Tongyeong’s wellness and arts, and Gyeongju’s historical tourism. The Daegu Airport Zone will integrate Daegu’s medical, urban, and modern history tourism resources with Andong’s Confucian culture and Gyeongju’s Silla heritage to establish a “K-Heritage” tourist zone.

The Cheongju Airport Zone will connect the Baekje Historical Areas of Gongju, Buyeo, and Iksan with Jeonju’s traditional culture assets. The Yangyang Airport Zone will combine Seoraksan Mountain and East Coast surfing, K-content filming locations and Winter Olympic legacies in Gangneung, and Sokcho’s marine tourism resources. The Muan Airport Zone will consolidate the west coast tourism resources of Muan and Mokpo, the cultural and artistic offerings of Gwangju, and Yeosu’s islands and leisure activities, framing them as a stay-type tourist zone centered on the cuisine of the Namdo region.

Based on the 2027 government budget, the ministry plans to invest KRW 65.9 billion of central government funds and KRW 27.6 billion in local funds, totaling KRW 93.5 billion. By category, KRW 18 billion will be allocated to overseas marketing for these tourist zones; KRW 14.3 billion to attract inbound tourists using regional airports and ports; KRW 14.9 billion to improve transport networks and payment convenience; and KRW 18.7 billion to nurture tourism content unique to each region. The ministry will also pursue the expansion of international flights at regional airports, the development of tourism products, and the introduction of the "Korea Tourism Integrated Pass," which combines transportation payment and tourist site discounts.

Together with related government agencies, local governments, and the Korea Tourism Organization, the ministry will establish mid- to long-term action plans for each tourist zone from 2027 to 2030. Strategies to link the five regional airports with the Seoul metropolitan area and Jeju will also be developed.

Minister Choi Hwiyeong of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, "With the current Seoul-centered entry structure, it will be difficult to reach 30 million annual arrivals, let alone 40 million. By fostering these tourist zones, we aim to reach 30 million arrivals overall and 5 million regional arrivals by 2029." As of 2025, the number of arrivals at regional airports and ports in the five major tourist zones is expected to reach 2.56 million.

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