The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, alongside the Korea Tourism Organization, is hosting the "2026 Tourism Connect Week" from September 15 to 16 at the Sofitel Ambassador Seoul. Marking its sixth anniversary this year, the event serves as a central hub connecting tourism startups with local governments, private corporations, and investors to foster business cooperation and growth opportunities. Operating under the slogan "TourGather: Making Tomorrow's Tourism Together," the event features a diverse array of programs spanning conferences, investment pitching, business meetups, and entrepreneurial training designed to support companies across all growth stages.

The first day of the event focuses heavily on industry insights and future strategies, highlighted by a conference addressing brand marketing and survival strategies for tourism ventures in the AI era. Renowned speakers such as trend analyst and author Song Gil-young, space design expert and Glow Seoul CEO Yoo Jung-soo, and Vacatio CEO Ji Hyun-jun—a former tourism venture winner of Korea's national AI championship—share critical competitive strategies and business insights. In addition, a special incubation program has been newly established for around forty university students, integrating the Korea Tourism Organization's talent-nurturing initiatives. This program provides aspiring entrepreneurs with foundational startup education, business model presentations from active tourism ventures, and professional mentoring to help transform creative ideas into viable business models.

The second day shifts toward practical growth acceleration, focusing primarily on investment attraction and business partnerships. Dedicated programs include 1:1 investment consultations between tourism-focused venture capital firms, accelerators, and promising startups. Furthermore, in active collaboration with Korea Venture Investment, targeted IR pitching sessions are held for funds managing mother funds to unlock substantial financial support. Building on partnerships established in 2022, these coordinated efforts aim to substantially expand funding pathways and liquidity for innovative tourism enterprises.

Korea Tourism Organization President Park Sung-hyuk emphasized that this annual event functions as a vital pillar for securing the sustainable growth of South Korea's tourism industry. By systematically bridging the gap between early-stage student ideas, venture scaling, and institutional investment, the organization continues to empower tourism ventures to act as the primary catalysts of industry innovation. Comprehensive information regarding the schedule, networking sessions, and participating entities can be found on the official "2026 Tourism Connect Week" website.