Korea Tourism Organization Expands U.S. Outreach with Largest K-Tourism Roadshow Across East and West

— K-Tourism Roadshows Held in New York, Denver, and Washington, D.C. —

NEW YORK CITY, NY, UNITED STATES, May 1, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) are hosting a series of K-Tourism Roadshows in major U.S. cities—New York and Denver in April, and Washington, D.C. in August.

The United States, Korea’s fourth-largest inbound tourism market after China, Japan, and Taiwan, has shown remarkable post-pandemic recovery. In 2023, Korea welcomed over 1.3 million American visitors—a record high—with a growth rate of 21.5% year-over-year.

New York, the heart of the U.S. East Coast market, is home to many of the country's top travel industry professionals and media outlets, making it a trend-setting region in the American tourism landscape. Over the past four years, KTO has hosted annual roadshows in New York to introduce new and diverse Korean tourism content.

This year’s New York K-Tourism Roadshow, held on April 25 at Cipriani Hall, was themed “Discover Korea’s Hidden Charms”, highlighting lesser-known destinations across Korea.

The event drew over 300 participants, including representatives from global OTA TripAdvisor, luxury cultural travel agency Arrangements Abroad, and other specialized travel companies—demonstrating the strong interest of the U.S. travel industry in Korea. KTO presented the Korea Tourism Awards to Student Universe, a student-focused travel agency recognized for developing new market segments in the U.S., and Sky Vacations, the first U.S. agency to create K-vegan travel products.

In the morning, the Korea Travel Mart brought together 19 Korean organizations, including airlines, travel agencies, and local governments, who held around 240 business meetings with U.S. travel professionals. There was particularly strong interest in regional tourism products and K-culture-related offerings.

On April 28, KTO co-hosted a promotional event and travel mart in Denver with Delta Air Lines to highlight the new direct flight route from Salt Lake City to Incheon launching in June—the first direct connection to an Asian city from Salt Lake. This initiative aims to tap into broader travel demand across the U.S. Midwest, including Denver and surrounding areas.

In August, KTO will bring the K-Tourism Roadshow to Washington, D.C., promoting K-culture and Korea tourism to local opinion leaders and consumers in the U.S. capital.

Seo Youngchung, Acting President of the Korea Tourism Organization, stated, “We are focused on developing premium travel products that align with the preferences of mainstream American markets. From K-art tours for art lovers to targeted promotions for vegans, classical music groups, and digital nomads, we aim to deliver lifestyle-tailored tourism marketing to American travelers.”

About Korea Tourism Organization
Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is an organization of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST). KTO serves the interests of Korea's tourism economy by marketing the country as an all-season visitor destination. Fascinating history, rich culture, amazing food, and friendly people combine to make South Korea one of the most visited countries. Located in East Asia, South Korea is a country of contrasts, with tourist attractions ranging from ancient mountaintop Buddhist temples such as Bulguksa Temple to the ultra-modern skyscrapers as Lotte World Tower in Seoul.

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