KUALA LUMPUR - The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is stepping up efforts to position South Korea as a premier destination for global luxury travellers.

The state-run agency hosted the 2026 Virtuoso Symposium on 15 to 19 April and signed a memorandum of understanding with Virtuoso to strengthen its presence in the high-end tourism market, as reported by The Korea Times.

Virtuoso is a global network of luxury travel agencies with more than 22,000 advisors across 58 countries.

The symposium brought hundreds of top-tier travel executives and advisors to Korea to experience its cultural and modern offerings.

A welcome dinner was held following the signing ceremony to showcase Korean cuisine and hospitality.

The event featured a performance titled “Mimesis” by the Seoul Metropolitan Dance Theatre.

The production follows the troupe’s earlier work “One Dance”, which sold out at Lincoln Center and won a Bessie Award.

Ven. Seonjae, recognised as the first master of Korean temple food, also conducted a cooking demonstration.

Park Sung-hyeuck said the partnership is key to reshaping Korea’s tourism industry.

“It is important for Korea to be recognized as a luxury destination by global travelers.

“Through this official partnership, we plan to upgrade inbound luxury tour packages and introduce tourism products unique to Korea,” he said.

Park said the agency aims to expand beyond traditional markets in neighbouring countries.

He added that the focus will be on attracting visitors from North America and Europe who tend to spend more and stay longer.

The organisation plans to invite Virtuoso advisors to Korea to help design tailored travel itineraries.

“I want to offer experiences such as staying overnight at the historic house of Ryu Seong-ryong in Andong to experience the traditional noble lifestyle along with unique local cuisine,” he said.

Matthew Upchurch highlighted Korea’s appeal as a destination blending heritage and modernity.

“Korea has become such a cultural phenomenon around the world and there is this wonderful hold that already exists that is the creativity of Korea combined with the fact that you have a culture that is very well protected,” he said.

He also addressed concerns about artificial intelligence replacing travel advisors.

“The problem with AI is it can be 90 percent right, but it is the 10 percent that will hallucinate.

“A really good advisor today is a collaborator.

“They take what comes out of AI but then they say what is right and what the client should consider.

“They exist because they create overall value in the lives of our customers,” he said 

The symposium also highlighted Korea’s growing wellness and beauty sectors.

Participants experienced K-beauty programmes including personal colour analysis, makeup sessions and scalp diagnostics using smart technology.

Jang Jun-young said demand for wellness services is rising globally.

“The response from those who received scalp diagnoses today was overwhelming because most people are unaware of their scalp health conditions.

“Thanks to the power of K-culture, demand for wellness is growing in Southeast Asia and Japan, and we are now seeing great responses from American clients,” he said.

Officials said the initiative is expected to strengthen Korea’s competitiveness in the global luxury tourism market.