The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on the 3rd that it is accepting applications for the "2026 Tourism Durae Resident Business" program until the 31st, in partnership with the Korea Tourism Organization. The program supports local residents in launching and operating their own tourism businesses.
Tourism Durae is a policy initiative that helps residents establish and run tourism businesses in various sectors including accommodation, food and beverage, travel, experiences, and souvenirs, based on local resources and stories unique to their regions. Since its launch in 2013, the program has supported 1,411 resident businesses across 152 regions nationwide through last year.
This year, approximately 50 resident businesses will be selected from 21 regions total, including five newly designated Tourism Durae project areas—Ulsan (Jung-gu), Gyeonggi (Gwangmyeong City), Gangwon (Cheorwon County), South Chungcheong (Seocheon County), and South Jeolla (Haenam County)—as well as 16 existing designated areas. Resident businesses planning tourism-related startups in accommodation, food and beverage, souvenirs, or experiences in these regions, or those seeking to improve existing business operations, are eligible to apply. Resident businesses must consist of at least three local residents.
Selected resident businesses will receive customized support of up to 110 million won over a maximum of five years, tailored to each growth stage. The Korea Tourism Organization will also provide various programs including capacity-building education for startups and business improvement, consulting, pilot projects, promotional marketing, and legal and tax advisory services.
"Tourism Durae is not simply a startup subsidy program, but an initiative that expands the foundation of regional tourism ecosystems by nurturing self-sustaining tourism businesses through stage-by-stage customized support over five years," said Kang Dong-jin, Director of Tourism Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. "Through this open call, we hope local residents will develop their lives and stories into tourism content, and that warm communities growing together will spread nationwide."
"Tourism Durae plays a core role where residents become owners who discover and promote their region's appeal," said Myeong Se-won, Team Leader of Regional Tourism Cooperation at the Korea Tourism Organization. "We ask for your interest and participation so that resident businesses with creative ideas can have the opportunity to grow as leading figures driving regional tourism."