Kiwi travel to Korea continues to grow, buoyed by increased air capacity, and visiting Korea Tourism Organization regional director Hyeongjoon Kim is urging Kiwi travel agents to upskill on the destination, and its wide appeal for Kiwi travellers.
Last year the KTO reported a 10% growth in arrivals from New Zealand to 41,000, and in 2026 the tourism body says it’s well on its way to achieve this year’s targeted 45,000 Kiwi arrivals.
Korea is steeped in history, and known for its traditional culture and picturesque landscapes, which Kim says has historically attracted more mature travellers. But as Korean Culture, or K-culture, takes the globe by storm (from its K-pop bands, through to its K-food, K-drama and K-beauty) he says the destination is now also attracting a fast-growing number of younger travellers.
“We have culture and temples and temple stays, but we have K-pop and we have places like Jeju island…which has good weather and a lot of UNESCO sites,” Kim said yesterday at the Discover Korea 2026 B2B event in Auckland. That mix of traditional and contemporary experiences is now also attracting more multi-generational travel groups, adds the KTO.
Seoul and Busan continue to be the top destinations for Kiwi travellers, but the KTO says more tour operators and niche travel wholesalers are adding new product, offering Kiwi travellers more opportunities to easily explore the nation.
Kim is urging Kiwi agents to upskill on Korea’s diverse tourism offering to take advantage of both the range of options for clients and the destination’s value for money offering. In addition to yesterday’s B2B session the KTO also hosted 100 agents at is sold out Korean Showcase last night.
. . . Oct Famil
Kiwi agents are being invited to register for a famil to Korea in Oct, to explore the destination’s experiences first-hand. There are eight places available on the six-night famil, and to be in the running to win a place, agents will have to attend a live Korea Tourism Organization trade webinar. See upcoming issues of Travel Today for more details.
