76.8% of Japanese visitors go to Seoul. Will "30 Small Cities" change that?

The Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA) and the Korea Tourism Organization announced a joint plan to ease Seoul's pull on Japanese travellers. Key points from Travel Voice:

Where things stand

• 76.8% of Japanese visitors to Korea go to Seoul.

New programme: "Korea's 30 Small Cities"

• Local walking routes built around history, nature and everyday culture.

• Agency briefings and inspection trips start now; full tour products from 2027.

Other moves

• Japanese visitors invited to the Haman fire festival in South Gyeongsang (target of 1,500 in October 2026).

• Foreign travellers using airports outside Seoul rose 42% year on year in January–May 2026.

• First-time visitors get ¥5,000 off regional packages through a JATA campaign.

Beauty trips tend to stay in Seoul, but shopping for K-beauty in Busan or Daegu department stores and markets could be a fun change.

Which Korean city outside Seoul would you like to visit?

#KoreaTravel #BeyondSeoul #SmallCities

Source: Travel Voice — JATA and KTO launch "Korea's 30 Small Cities" to ease Seoul concentration