- Celebrating the 70th anniversary of the ROKUS alliance, “K-Tourism Roadshow in New York” held from July 19 to 22

- Leveraging popular local K-Culture to promote K-Tourism, over 100,000 locals visited the events held at the Rockefeller Center and Times Square

“My daughter is a big fan of BLACKPINK. She’ll be so jealous when she finds out that I tried on the Hanbok from their K-Pop music video today,” said Violet, an American who participated in the “K-Tourism Roadshow” held at the Rockefeller Center in New York on July 19 (local time). She also expressed her desire to visit Korea next spring, saying, “I’ve heard that spring in Korea is really beautiful.”

 Event venue decided upon a co-hosting proposal from the Rockefeller Center, affirming interest in Korea

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister PARK Bo Gyoon, MCST) in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) held the “K-Tourism Roadshow” from July 19 (Wed) to 22 (Sat) at the Rockefeller Center and Times Square in New York. The “K-Tourism Roadshow” is an annual event to promote the allure of K-Tourism alongside K-Culture in anticipation of the “Visit Korea Year 2023–2024” (Visit Year) targeting 15 cities worldwide. The 11th roadshow was held in New York in conjunction with the 70th anniversary of the ROK–US alliance. Especially noteworthy is the fact that this event was held at New York’s landmark, the Rockefeller Center, based on their co-hosting proposal, which further signifies the heightened interest in Korea in the United States.

The US was the largest outbound tourism spender worldwide last year, making it a significant market. This year, it ranks third in the number of tourists visiting Korea, following Japan and China, which is the largest among long-haul countries. As of May 2023, the number of US tourists visiting Korea has recovered to about 390,000, which is 97.4% of the same month in 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic. This is a record-breaking growth rate, nearly double the 49.8% recovery rate of total tourists visiting Korea.

At this “K-Tourism Roadshow,” with the goal of attracting one million US tourists this year, various events have been organized to convert the popularity of local K-culture into demand for visits to Korea. Various travel information booths were set up at the Rockefeller Center, and events such as experiencing Hanbok in K-pop music videos, K-makeup consultations, and tastings of K-chicken and health drinks were held, garnering enthusiastic responses from the participants. At the travel information booth, they introduced the “K-Culture Travel Events 100” selected in celebration of the “Visit Year,” as well as the “K-Culture Specialized Tourism Products 10.” They also operated a photo zone for the “Cheong Wa Dae,” the new landmark of K-Tourism. Furthermore, the K-Pop cover dance competition “Dance to Korea,” was held in Times Square, with flight tickets to Korea as the grand prize. Seven teams were selected from a total of 584 teams from across the US, attracting a massive audience with their performances.

 Korean tourism briefing in July 20, inviting major local travel companies to showcase various tourism ideas to Korea

On July 20 (Thur) at 7 p.m., a business consultation event for the travel industry (Travel Mart) and a Korean tourism briefing were held at the Lotte New York Palace under the theme “Discover your Korea,” attended by approximately 200 key travel agencies and media representatives from the US. Mr. KIM Dae Ik, the head chef of a Michelin-starred Korean restaurant in New York, introduced Korea’s representative K-Tourism sites, such as the “10 Tourist Routes around the Blue House,” based on Korean food and traditional liquor, and attracted high interest from the participants, resulting in a total of 200 consultations. As a result, a total of 200 consultations were conducted. Special invites were extended to Korean War veterans and their descendants at this event, delivering the message that “Korea never forgets,” along with expressions of gratitude.

Tracy Lepai, who runs a travel agency in Florida, said, “I've noticed an increased interest in Korean history, culture, and food, not just Hallyu, among high-income retirees in the United States.” Kim Jiobaco, a manager at a vegan specialty travel agency, said, “Reflecting the growing interest in Korean temple food and other cuisines in the United States, we are planning a trip to Seoul, Busan, and Gwangju for next year. I hope that more vegan menu options will be available in general restaurants in Korea.” Melissa Novick, a representative of a travel agency specializing in luxury tours tailored for Asia, said, “The demand for Korea among the 38 Asian city tourism products we sell has recently surged to a surprising extent. Korea needs to expand its luxury accommodations not only in Seoul and Busan, but also in other regions.”

PARK Jong Taek, Director-General of the Tourism Policy Bureau at the MCST, said, “The ‘New York K-Tourism Roadshow’ has attracted over 100,000 visitors, indicating a strong interest in Korea in the United States.” He added, “Notably, the growth of American tourists this year is worth noting, but as a strategic market with high individual spending, we will continue our aggressive marketing by hosting the ‘K-Tourism Roadshow’ in Los Angeles in August.”