Korea is making a decisive push to redefine its tourism landscape by movin travelers beyond the well-trodden streets of Seoul. To transform regional airports into vibrant international gateways, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) recently hosted an ambitious multiregion familiarization tour designed to showcase the heart of the country. The weeklong initiative brought together 112 key decision-makers from China’s top 100 travel agencies, media outlets and online platforms. Coming from major hubs including Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang and Chengdu, participants were split into six specialized groups. Each group followed a route tailored around direct arrival and departure access through regional international airports, offering a seamless travel model that connects incoming flights directly to nearby provincial highlights. Delegates ventured into Gyeongju, Gimhae, Daejeon, Samcheok, Jeju and Cheonan. Along the way, they immersed themselves in the local food scene and enjoyed natural landscapes and heritage sites. Representatives