The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism from March 19-22 hosts this year's Korea Travel Expo at COEX Magok Exhibition Hall and Magok Plaza in Seoul's Gangseo-gu District. Shown is a scene from the 2025 event that ran from March 27-30 at SETEC (Seoul Trade Exhibition and Convention) in Seoul's Gangnam-gu District. (Lee Jeongwoo)

By Lee Dasom

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on March 19 announced its joint hosting of this year's Korea Travel Expo with the Korea Tourism Association from March 19-22 at the convention center COEX Magok and Magok Plaza in Seoul's Gangseo-gu District.

Marking its 23rd year, the trade show will feature the theme "Travel Beyond the Everyday, Travel Leaving Lasting Effects on a Region," offering information and events on domestic tourism.

A combined 160 organizations nationwide including local governments and institutions and companies related to tourism will run 385 booths to promote regional and stay-and-experience tourism featuring a region's unique nature, culture and lifestyle. They will also highlight new trends in the industry and the attractions of travel to the provinces through culinary, night, regional, and island and marine tourism.

Food and flea markets at the outdoor Magok Plaza offer regional cuisines and specialties and experiential programs presented by small entrepreneurs and brands of each region.

The opening ceremony on March 19 featured Ven. Sunjae, a Buddhist monk who appeared on the hit Netflix series "Culinary Class Wars 2." She gave a lecture, conducted a cooking demonstration and hosted a tasting event for Buddhist temple cuisine.

The ministry will also hold a conference on balanced regional development to help build a tourism ecosystem so that visits to the expo lead to trips to the regions featured and tourism consumption.

Second Vice Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Kim Dae-hyun said, "We hope that this expo allows easier travel by the people in their daily lives and creates a virtuous cycle that revitalizes regions."

Official poster for 2026 Korea Travel Expo (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)