South Korea Plans Regional Airports to Spread Travel Boom Beyond Seoul

South Korea has announced plans to develop five new regional airports as part of its efforts to spread a record-breaking travel boom beyond Seoul.

The country's tourism industry is experiencing unprecedented growth, with foreign visitors reaching 18.9 million in 2025 - surpassing the previous high set in 2019. Despite this surge, most tourists remain concentrated in Seoul, particularly in trendy neighborhoods like Itaewon and Seongsu-dong.

According to Daehyun Kim, South Korea's vice minister of culture, sports and tourism, only one-third of foreign visitors explore areas outside of Seoul and the capital region, despite being drawn by the country's rich cultural heritage. To address this imbalance, the government has unveiled plans to create five major tourism hubs around regional airports.

The selected airports are Gimhae, Daegu, Cheongju, Muan, and Yangyang, which will serve as gateways to local areas that can be visited directly without passing through Seoul.

South Korea is revamping its tourism strategy by highlighting unique regional experiences that cannot be replicated in Seoul.

The country's tourism industry has grown significantly over the past 13 years, with over 1,400 local businesses catering to tourists established across 147 regions. These businesses include accommodations, restaurants, and tour programs that offer visitors a taste of each region's distinct culture.

Other Asian countries are also shifting their focus towards secondary cities in an effort to boost tourism growth. In China, travelers are moving beyond traditional hubs like Beijing and Shanghai to explore lesser-known destinations such as Chengdu and Chongqing.

Chengdu has gained popularity among tourists due to its unique blend of modernity and tradition, while Chongqing has become a social media sensation thanks to its "cyberpunk" skyline and the trend of motorbike riders offering tourists a thrilling pillion ride against the city's towering skyscrapers.

The growth in air travel to regional cities is not limited to destinations in Asia. Tony Fernandes, CEO of Capital A, has noted that his company's biggest markets are increasingly secondary and tertiary cities.

Fernandes attributed this trend to the rising GDP of these cities, which is outpacing that of capital cities. As a result, there is a significant amount of disposable income available in these regions, and many residents remain underserved by air travel options.

The success of Capital A's service to Shantou, a city with a population of over five million, has been particularly notable. The airline now operates three daily flights from Kuala Lumpur to this previously untapped market.