The Cultural Heritage Administration, the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center, and the Korea Heritage Agency successfully showcased Korea's diverse national heritage content at the '2026 K-Tourism Roadshow in Hangzhou,' held from May 29 to 31 in Hangzhou, China. Notably, the Korea Heritage Agency's booth, operating under the 'KOREA DAY & NIGHT' concept, attracted over 4,500 visitors over three days, drawing significant interest from local tourists.
K-Tourism Roadshow in Hangzhou Spotlights National Heritage
The Cultural Heritage Administration (led by Administrator Heo Min), the Royal Palaces and Tombs Center (led by Acting Director Ahn Ho), and the Korea Heritage Agency (led by President Lee Gwi-yeong) participated in the successful '2026 K-Tourism Roadshow in Hangzhou,' held from May 29 to 31 in Hangzhou, China. This event was organized to promote the beauty of Korean national heritage to the local Chinese audience and attract potential visitors to Korea.
During the roadshow, the Korea Heritage Agency operated a special booth under the concept of 'KOREA DAY & NIGHT (24 HOURS),' themed 'Korea's Beautiful Every Moment.' The booth showcased Korea's representative national heritage initiatives, including the Royal Culture Festival, the World Heritage Festival, and National Heritage Media Art. It garnered enthusiastic responses, attracting a total of 4,561 visitors over three days.
Hangzhou: A Strategic Market Targeting High-Spending MZ Generation
The '2026 K-Tourism Roadshow in Hangzhou' took place at the Hangzhou Midtown Shangri-La Hotel and Chenxi Intime City Shopping Mall. Hangzhou is recognized as a new first-tier city in China, home to a high concentration of the high-income, high-spending MZ generation. With global companies like Alibaba and NetEase headquartered there, the city is a vibrant economic hub.
Given this backdrop, Hangzhou is rapidly emerging as a crucial new source market for inbound tourism to Korea. The Korea Heritage Agency's decision to promote K-heritage here reflects this strategic importance, focusing on effectively conveying the value of national heritage to potential Korean visitors.
Spotlight on the Royal Culture Festival, a Premier National Heritage Event
Among the prominent national heritage festivals introduced at the roadshow was the Royal Culture Festival. Held annually, this festival transforms royal palaces into vibrant cultural and artistic spaces where visitors can experience the charm of K-Culture through various performances, exhibitions, hands-on programs, and historical ritual reenactments. Visitors to the booth showed keen interest in the festival's rich content.
Notably, the Royal Culture Festival is scheduled to take place from October 7 to 11 at Seoul's five grand palaces: Gyeongbokgung, Changdeokgung, Changgyeonggung, Deoksugung, and Gyeonghuigung. The Korea Heritage Agency effectively conveyed how these Korean palaces, steeped in long history and tradition, harmoniously blend with modern K-Culture.
K-Heritage: Expanding Its Global Charm
Through the Hangzhou roadshow, the Cultural Heritage Administration and its affiliated organizations successfully introduced the uniqueness and beauty of Korean national heritage to the Chinese market. The harmonious combination of modern approaches like media art with traditional festivals offered local young generations a fresh perspective on Korean culture.
Moving forward, the Korea Heritage Agency plans to actively participate in various cultural exchange events and tourism expos worldwide. This ongoing effort is expected to further elevate the global standing of K-heritage and contribute to promoting Korea's appeal across the globe.
