Regional holiday surge delivers 40% jolt to Korean tourism

“Korea’s tourism industry found a much-needed windfall recently as a rare alignment of holidays in Asia sent a surge of more than 220,000 travelers from Japan and China through the nation's ports of entry. The influx, detailed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Friday, represents a pivotal moment for a sector that has been aggressive in its pursuit of postpandemic normalcy. Preliminary data showed that roughly 112,000 Japanese visitors arrived during the "Golden Week" corridor, which ended Tuesday, while 108,000 Chinese travelers landed during a Labor Day holiday that stretched through Monday. Taken together, the figures represent a 40.7 percent jump over the same period last year — a trajectory that suggests Korea’s tactical pivot toward high-volume, short-haul regional travel is beginning to pay dividends. Government officials attributed the spike to a series of marketing campaigns designed to move travelers beyond the traditional luxury duty-free shops of Seoul. In Japan, the ministry marketed the country as a pragmatic sanctuary for young families, offering "Fami

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