The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young) announced Wednesday that it plans to accelerate the development of K-Wellness tourism, capitalizing on the April 9 enforcement of the "Act on the Promotion of the Healing Tourism Industry" (Healing Tourism Industry Act), as global demand for health- and healing-centered travel grows rapidly.
Since 2017, the ministry has designated the "wellness" sector — including beauty and spa, stay, natural healing, food, traditional Korean medicine and meditation — as "healing tourism," and has selected and supported "Excellent Wellness Tourism Destinations" that offer healing experiences to domestic and international tourists. Wellness is a portmanteau of well-being, happiness and fitness, referring to an ideal state in which physical, mental and social health are in harmony.
To systematically foster the healing tourism industry, the ministry enacted the Healing Tourism Industry Act last year and completed the establishment of subordinate statutes in April, laying the institutional foundation for the promotion of the healing tourism industry. The ministry plans to swiftly and sequentially implement measures stipulated in the legislation — including the establishment of a basic plan for fostering the healing tourism industry, the cultivation of specialized personnel, the registration of healing tourism businesses, fact-finding surveys, and the designation of healing tourism industry districts — in order to manage the quality of healing tourism services and support the creation of regional healing tourism ecosystems.
In particular, to strengthen the competitiveness of K-Wellness tourism this year and promote Korea as a global healing tourism destination, the ministry selected "20 Wellness Destinations Specialized in Attracting Foreign Visitors" from among the existing 88 "Excellent Wellness Tourism Destinations," choosing those with outstanding capacity to attract foreign tourists and superior program operations.
The 20 selected destinations include "Sayuwon" in Daegu, named "Star of Korean Tourism" in 2025; "Awon Hanok Hotel" in Wanju, North Jeolla Province, which gained recognition after BTS filmed its "2019 Summer Package in Korea" video and photo book there; and "WE Hotel Jeju," operated by the Halla Medical Foundation.
The ministry will provide each of the 20 destinations with up to 50 million won in competitiveness-enhancement support. Tailored support will include overseas promotion using global platforms, the development of digital service environments customized for foreign visitors, and the upgrading of tourism products and promotional content, to help each destination establish itself as a hub for attracting foreign tourists.
"By fostering these 'Wellness Destinations Specialized in Attracting Foreign Visitors,' we will establish a globally competitive Korean-style wellness tourism model and actively support Korea's leap forward as a world-class healing tourism destination," a ministry policy official said.
