Gov't plans $2.27 mil. boost for cruise tourism amid arrival increase

“The government is injecting 3.4 billion won ($2.27 million) from supplementary budgets to support tourism in cruise port cities following a sharp rebound in passenger arrivals, the culture ministry said Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, approximately 320,000 people arrived in the country aboard cruise ships during the first quarter, an 11.4 percent increase from a year earlier, while the number of cruise calls rose 50 percent year-on-year to 168. Officials project that total port calls will reach 960 by the end of this year, a 63.2 percent increase from 2025. The government is seeking ways to ease entry procedures for cruise passengers. In February, President Lee Jae Myung chaired a tourism strategy meeting with the culture, justice and oceans ministers to discuss expanding on-board immigration checks for travelers arriving on large vessels. To encourage passengers to spend time beyond the immediate port areas, officials plan to introduce localized tourism programs, including operating shuttle buses and launching pop-up markets for regional products, a

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