User-generated video-based online travel agency (OTA) Tripbtoz has been recognised for its contribution to the development of the Korean tourism industry, winning the prestigious Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Award at the country's 2023 Tourism Venture Day ceremony.
Tourism Venture Day is an event at which tourism stakeholders gather to exchange ideas and explore opportunities for the development of the industry in Korea.
Since launching in 2015, Tripbtoz has established a community based on user-generated short-form videos. Users are connected through travel experiences and rewarded by reactions from other users.
By the beginning of 2024, the OTA reached Won130 billion in total transactions, including foreign currency sales.
CEO Jiha Jung highlighted the award as "a valuable achievement that all Tripbtoz employees have made. We will continue to connect travellers around the world and create innovative travel services.”
South Korea's tourism strategy
South Korea's government has eased pandemic travel restrictions and is targeting 30 million tourists by 2027. The tourism organisation intends to achieve this through digital tourism platform services and Korean-content storytelling tour programmes, featuring cities such as Gyeongju, Jeju City, Busan and the capital, Seoul.
International hotel companies taking advantage of the destination’s popularity include Wyndham, which recently opened its first Wyndham Grand-branded hotel in South Korea.
