The Korea Tourism Organization (President Park Sung-hyuk, hereinafter referred to as the "KTO") participated in the World Travel Market (WTM) London, held at the ExCeL London exhibition center from November 3 to 5, to carry out promotional and marketing activities for inbound tourism targeting the global tourism industry.

WTM is one of the world's top three international tourism exhibitions, with some 180 countries participating every year, and this year saw the participation of approximately 5,500 global buyers. The KTO operated the Korea Tourism Pavilion alongside 23 related organizations, including regional tourism foundations, domestic travel agencies, and hotels, intensively introducing Korea's diverse tourism contents. In particular, during the exhibition period, the KTO achieved tangible results by conducting a total of 790 1-on-1 business consultation sessions.

Showcasing the beauty of Korea utilizing traditional Hanbok jeogori (jacket) and mother-of-pearl patterns, the Korea Tourism Pavilion drew significant attention from buyers by featuring both business consultation spaces and K-culture experience zones. Unique programs garnered an enthusiastic response, such as a photo kiosk that used artificial intelligence (AI) technology to blend visitors' likenesses into Joseon Dynasty kings and queens, and an event offering traditional tea that incorporated the service-bell culture of Korean restaurants.

Ewen Moore, Sales Director of "Bamboo Travel," a local UK travel agency who visited the Korea Tourism Pavilion at this exhibition, stated, "As local interest in Korea grows, the demographic of consumers looking for Korean travel products is also diversifying. Since demand is increasing not only among consumers interested in K-dramas and K-beauty, but also those looking to experience Korean history and regional cities, we plan to showcase a variety of travel products capturing the charm of Korea's regional tourist destinations beyond the capital area."

Jung Seok-in, Head of the International Tourism Division, stated, "The UK is a core inbound market in Europe growing at an average annual rate of over 20%. Through this participation in WTM, we have once again confirmed the high level of interest and business demand for Korean tourism." He added, "Moving forward, we will solidify local buyer networks and actively support the development of practical, results-driven inbound products to accelerate the attraction of UK tourists."

Person in Charge: Team Leader Lee Ji-eun / Senior Manager Kim Hae-yeon, Americas & Europe Team (033-738-3271 / 3273)

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