NAGOYA — In a strategic push to diversify South Korea's inbound tourism market, the Gangwon Tourism Organization (GTO) traveled to central Japan earlier this month to court travel professionals and expand its presence beyond the traditional heavyweights of Tokyo and Osaka.

Representing the province, the GTO took part in the 2026 K-Tourism Business Day in Nagoya, held on November 5 at the Hilton Nagoya. The event served as a platform to highlight Gangwon's regional attractions to a fresh wave of Japanese travelers from the country's Chubu—or central—region, anchored by Aichi Prefecture and encompassing surrounding areas like Gifu, Mie, and Shizuoka.

While Tokyo and Osaka have long served as the primary hubs for South Korea-bound tourism from Japan, regional tourism authorities are increasingly eyeing Nagoya and the broader Chubu metropolitan zone as an emerging "third pillar" for inbound travel.

Organized by the Korea Tourism Organization's Osaka branch, the promotional day brought together roughly 25 South Korean entities, including local government bodies, Regional Tourism Organizations (RTOs), and tourism startups. They were met by approximately 100 delegates from Japan's travel and aviation sectors, featuring heavyweights such as JTB and Hankyu Travel International.

During the event, GTO delegates ran targeted briefings highlighting localized travel packages connected with regional airports, followed by a series of one-on-one business matchmaking sessions with Japanese tour operators to explore upcoming travel itinerary collaborations.

The program concluded with a networking dinner where delegates from both nations shared insights on future cooperation. Japanese industry representatives expressed strong enthusiasm for Gangwon's unique natural scenery, regional assets, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) capabilities, raising hopes for upcoming commercial travel products.

"This event allowed us to showcase the distinct competitive edge of Gangwon’s tourism portfolio to key players in central Japan," said Yoon Tae-hwan, a senior director at the Gangwon Tourism Organization. "Moving forward, we will cement our partnerships with major local travel agencies to build year-round, customized travel programs, successfully widening the scope of the Japanese inbound market beyond Tokyo and Osaka."

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]