KTO in Toronto: If You Can Dream It, Korea Might Just Help Pay For It

Luck of the draw! Ravi Kumar, EVP Corporate Development, Voyzant, won two free tickets to South Korea, courtesy of Air Canada, at “Discover the Local Gems of Korea” in Markham, Ontario. From left: Air Canada’s Deejay Lee and Viktor Spysak; Ravi Kumar, and Youna Oh, Director, Toronto Office, Korea Tourism Organization.

Planning an international conference or meeting? The South Korean government offers financial support to host your event in the Land of the Morning Calm.

The Korea Tourism Organization also provides incentives for specialized tour groups – and that could mean anything from students to vegans to skincare tourism (Korea is famous for it!). There’s even support for tea tours.

As Korean tourism officials demonstrated at a Toronto trade dinner 22APR, South Korea is having a major moment. The popularity of K-pop, K-beauty, cuisine, and movies have translated to a tourism boom among Canadians. But 80% of international visitors are concentrated in the capital of Seoul.

From left: Hillary Nguyen, Marketing Manager and Youna Oh, Director, Toronto Office, Korea Tourism Organization at the Toronto Marriot Markham 21APRIL .

Tourism officials are eager to spread the K-love by showcasing other cities with conference capacity and tour group infrastructure -- from Busan in the south to the Gangwon-do province in the north (which could also include a fascinating side trip to the DMZ Museum near the North Korean border.)

The funding amount is based on conference size and revolves around three areas:

Bidding: Help preparing a bid, flights and accommodations for site visits, and promotional materials to support the bid.
Marketing: Support for public relations and marketing materials to promote the conference.
Hosting: Streaming services, facility rentals, airfare for speakers, banquets and cultural activities.

The South Korean government also offers perks for business travel groups of 10 or more people, with free admission to theme parks, performances and other top attractions throughout the country.

Conference travel was just one of the areas highlighted by the KTO team in Toronto. They also presented sights and experiences to a packed room of travel advisors and tour operators, including: staying at a Buddhist temple and trying its famed vegetarian cuisine; visiting traditional folk villages; engaging in wellness activities like spas, tea therapy and make-your-own skincare; visiting traditional markets and dining at Michelin-starred restaurants. K-Pop tours could include the Purple Island for fans of the band BTS or a visit to K-Pop Demon Hunters destinations like Seoul’s Naksan Park.