Gyeongju: The government will take measures to boost the local tourism industry in connection with the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit scheduled to be held in South Korea later this year, the acting president said Thursday.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the government will work to diversify tourism products connected to Korean food, beauty, content, and sports that enjoy global popularity and create more tourism routes. Acting President Choi Sang-mok made these remarks as he visited Gyeongju, the host city of the APEC summit located 275 kilometers southeast of Seoul, to check on preparations for the upcoming event.
The 2025 APEC Summit is scheduled to kick off in late October. The number of inbound travelers to the country has returned to pre-pandemic levels, Choi noted, saying the government will work to attract more tourists with the upcoming APEC summit.
Last year, 16.37 million people traveled to South Korea, up from 11.03 million in 2023, according to the finance ministry. The 2024 figure was close to the 17.5 million tallied in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic broke out.
In detail, the government will implement temporary visa exemptions for group travelers from China in the third quarter and provide consultations to local governments and mom-and-pop stores wishing to attract foreign visitors. The government also plans to improve transportation services connecting major cities across the country and various tourist destinations, the ministry said.