"The strength of Korea's sports tourism is that events with global recognition, such as esports and taekwondo, are combined with Korea's unique "fandom culture." In particular, the "dynamic, participatory baseball cheering culture" is a standout killer content."
Ban Ho-cheol, Head of Team of the Korea Tourism Organization theme content team, assessed Korea's sports tourism this way. According to UN Tourism, sports tourism accounts for about 10% of global tourism revenue and is considered a high value-added industry with longer stays and higher consumption expenditure than general tourism.
The Korea Tourism Organization, keeping pace with this trend, launched the Sports Tourism Activation Task Force (TF) in Mar. 2024 to foster sports tourism. From the early days of the TF, Ban Ho-cheol, Head of Team of the Korea Tourism Organization theme content team who has been active in the field, said, "Sports tourism goes beyond simple spectating to a high value-added, experience-based tourism where consumers directly participate and stay," adding, "K-content motivates people, and sports activities make them stay longer, creating a virtuous cycle." The following is a Q&A.
What led to the launch of the Sports Tourism Activation TF?
"Unlike general tourism marketing, sports tourism is a specialized field that requires close communication with stakeholders such as event operators and sport-specific associations. We formed a dedicated unit to generate synergy by combining the tourism networking the organization has built up with expertise in sports. In its first year, esports alone attracted 1,239 foreign spectators by leveraging the LCK (League of Legends Champions Korea) Finals and the VALORANT World Championship. We also expanded recruitment in areas such as taekwondo pilgrimages (617 people), national park-linked trekking (822 people), and winter sports (16,000 people)."
Among many tourism categories, why focus on "sports"?
"The key is "overcoming seasonal limits" and "creating high added value." Generally, January to February is a slow season for inbound tourism, but it is also the right time to target Southeast Asian markets without snow. Stay-type products that combine Korea's excellent ski resorts and lesson programs are driving off-season tourism demand and filling gaps in the domestic tourism industry. Also, sports tourism is not merely transit-based; with lessons and experiences, stays are longer, and there is a clear tendency to revisit to build proficiency. In short, it is easier to secure "loyal customers.""
What are the strengths and weaknesses of Korea's sports tourism?
"The strength is the software. Sports with high global recognition, such as esports and taekwondo, are combined with Korea's unique fandom culture. In particular, the "dynamic, participatory cheering culture" seen at baseball stadiums is a rare killer content globally. As with the recently viral "Ppikki Ppikki dance" on social media (SNS), Korean baseball stadiums have the energy to turn the ballpark into a massive performance venue. In fact, a group of 104 Taiwanese students who attended the Gocheok Sky Dome game in Apr. 2025 were enthusiastic about Korea's cheering songs and performances.
"The weakness, on the other hand, is the hardware. Compared with advanced markets, there is a lack of integrated entertainment infrastructure that combines stadiums, accommodations, and shopping. Information accessibility and booking convenience from a foreigner's perspective also need improvement."
How are the responses to specialized products like esports and taekwondo?
"We approach this as a concept of "fandom-based pilgrimage." In esports, we gained traction by linking attendance at the LCK, where the world-renowned player Faker (Lee Sang-hyeok) plays, with experiences of Korea's PC bang culture. For taekwondo, we are attracting trainees from around the world centered on the Muju Taekwondowon. Participants feel a deep bond in that they "personally experience the longed-for birthplace," which leads to high satisfaction and revisits."
Does Korean Wave content also affect the inflow of sports tourists?
"The Korean Wave is a key factor in choosing travel destinations. It is especially influential in family travel, where children's preferences weigh heavily. The desire of children to experience the ski resorts visited by their favorite idols and actors and the snow scenery filming locations in dramas leads families to travel to Korea. In the end, the Korean Wave becomes a "pull factor for visiting Korea," and sports strengthen the "pull factor for staying," creating a virtuous cycle."
Which domestic region best embodies the industrial value of sports tourism?
"Seoul. Large events such as the Seoul Marathon, accessibility to downtown venues like Gocheok, and K-cheering culture come together to make it the center of "urban sports." Landmarks such as Gyeongbokgung and the Han River combined with running, cheering, and K-culture form a tourism-linked sports model in which "run, cheer, and enjoy" activities are organically connected, offering a differentiated competitive edge from overseas cities."
What tasks must be addressed to leap into a sports tourism powerhouse?
"Above all, a shift in perspective is needed. We must evolve stadiums from mere venues for games into complex cultural spaces that combine lodging, gastronomy, and entertainment. As Japanese baseball stadiums have built complex facilities where visitors can enjoy hot springs and saunas, we need to make them places tourists seek out even on non-game days. Practically, we need to secure foreigner-only seats in advance, provide multilingual booking and payment, and strengthen on-site English guidance. Overseas sports fans usually prepare for away games in Korea from three months to a year in advance, so securing sufficient lead time by local governments and organizing committees is key."
How do you foresee the status of Korea's sports tourism in 3 to 5 years?
"I see two pillars. One is the establishment of a "distinctive experiential market combined with K-content." Cheering culture and fandom-based esports tours will take root as an independent tourism genre and become must-experience content for the global MZ generation (Millennial + Gen Z, born 1980–2004). The other is strengthening our position as a "sports powerhouse in all four seasons." By advancing season-specific products such as skiing, marathons, and trekking, we plan to build a virtuous cycle in which foreign tourists visit year-round without interruption. To that end, we will expand the "baseball cheering culture product," which started in Taiwan last year, to the United States and Japan, and broaden into sports such as basketball and volleyball. Since the end of last year, with a business agreement with the Seoul Marathon as a starting point, we have been making every effort to attract foreign runners. Personally, the goal is to make Korea "a country where items on the bucket lists of sports fans around the world become everyday life.""