The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister YU In Chon, MCST) and the Korea Tourism Organization (Acting President SEO Young Choong, KTO) hosted the 2024 Korea Tourism Awards. Minister YU visited the award-winning locations in person to celebrate and support the tourism industry. The Korea Tourism Awards, now in its 14^th year, have recognized outstanding tourism resources and organizations that have contributed to the development of Korean tourism since their inception in 2010. Winners are selected based on evaluations of recommendations from the public, local governments, and experts.

In 2024, reflecting the emerging trends in tourism, such as convergence, addressing depopulation, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) management, five new categories have been introduced – Convergence Tourism, Promotion of Regional Growth, Eco-friendly Tourism, Shared Growth, and Tourism Innovation. With these additions, the awards cover a total of eleven categories, offering greater recognition to the private sector.

The eleven stars of Korean tourism that shined in 2024 are as follows:

The Tourist Attraction of the Year is awarded to Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Haenggung Palace. Other winners include Kansong Art Museum Daegu for New Tourist Attraction; Gaetgol Eco Park in Siheung for Accessible Tourist Attraction; Haenyeo Kitchen in Jeju and Maenggae Village in Andong for Convergent Tourist Attraction; the Ganghwa Cheongpung Cooperative Community and the Donghae Culture Tourism Foundation for Tourist Attraction for Promotion of Regional Growth; Wando Cheongsando Island for Eco-friendly Tourist Attraction; Sungsimdang Bakery in Daejeon for Tourist Attraction for Shared Growth; Orange Square (Wow Pass) for Innovative Tourist Attraction; and Korea Travel by EBS for Tourism Promotion Media.

Suwon Hwaseong Fortress and Haenggung Palace, awarded the Tourist Attraction of the Year, is an attractive tourist destination that blends the traditional beauty of the fortress with modern charm. Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site, is famous for its magnificent fortress walls encircling the city center, while the neighborhood surrounding Haenggung Palace is popular among young visitors for its unique alleyways dotted with cafes, craft studios, and accessory shops.

Kansong Art Museum Daegu, recipient of the award for New Tourist Attraction, is beloved by those interested in cultural heritage thanks to its valuable collections such as the original copy of Hunmin Jeongeum Haeryebon, works collected by Kansong JEON Hyung Pil, and the Portrait of a Beauty by SHIN Yoon Bok.

Gaetgol Eco Park in Siheung, recognized in the Accessible Tourist Attraction category, provides a wide range of facilities for the convenience of tourists with physical disabilities, including wheelchair rental centers and accessible restrooms. To ensure barrier-free access throughout the park, the park overhauled its ramps, created a picnic zone accessible by wheelchairs and strollers, and operates electric vehicles that accommodate wheelchairs.

The Convergent Tourist Attraction category awards tourism content that creates added value through collaboration among different industries. Haenyeo Kitchen in Jeju, launched in 2019, is a theater-restaurant that showcases the unique lifestyle and cuisine of Jeju Haenyeo. Young artists in their 20s collaborate with Haenyeo in their 90s to illustrate the life of Haenyeo from a cultural perspective. Haenyeo Kitchen is considered a successful local cultural business that demonstrates the potential for sustainable cooperation with the local fishing community. Meanwhile, Maenggae Village in Andong is a tourist destination offering a relaxing rural experience. The village attracts over 7,000 visitors annually seeking to rest their body and mind in a peaceful environment surrounded by the Nakdong River and Cheongryang Mountain.

The Tourist Attraction for Regional Growth category recognizes tourism products that encourage longer stays by visitors and contribute to the growth of tourism population. The Ganghwa Cheongpung Cooperative Community is a cooperative local community co-created by locals, youth, and artists in the region. Jamsi Island, one of the community’s signature programs, offers a stay-at-home opportunity for visitors to interact with locals and experience daily life. Similarly, the Donghae Culture Tourism Foundation runs the ‘Welcome to Donghae’ program to connect visitors with locals through a tourism platform.

The Eco-friendly Tourist Attraction category selects tourism content that supports local environment and biological protection. Wando Cheongsando Island, located 19.2km from Wando in South Jeolla Province, is the southernmost island in Dadohae. The island, conserving unique local traditional culture, was designated as Asia’s first Slow City in 2007.

The Tourist Attraction for Shared Growth recognizes tourism projects that promote mutual growth with local communities and related industries. Sungsimdang Bakery is known for its role in promoting tourism in Daejeon through collaborative efforts with the Eunhaeng-dong Merchant Association to encourage longer visitor stays and its sponsorship of bread festivals.

The Tourism Innovation category recognizes organizations in the private sector that create or improve tourism services through innovative ideas or technology. Wow Pass, developed by Orange Square, is an all-in-one prepaid card exclusively for foreign tourists. It integrates payment, currency exchange, and transportation card functions, a first in Korea. Wow Pass has effectively eliminated payment barriers and improved convenience for international tourists by supporting currency conversion for 15 different currencies from the Korean Won, along with expense tracking and bill splitting functions.

Lastly, in the Tourism Promotion Media category, Korea Travel by EBS received recognition for its contribution to the development of Korean tourism by promoting Korea’s beautiful scenery, history, culture, and food as EBS’ flagship TV program.

Minister YU said, “Thanks to the dedication of everyone in the tourism industry, K-Tourism has achieved remarkable growth.” He added, “we understand the current challenges faced by the tourism industry and will do our best to communicate closely and minimize the impact on the tourism market. We will cooperate with the industry to help tourism demand, both domestic and international, recover rapidly to ensure Korea becomes a world-class tourist destination.”