Free entry, 40% rail discount: foreign tourists embrace K-Tour Pass perks

A new integrated service combining transportation access and tourism benefits has launched, aimed at lowering barriers for foreign visitors traveling beyond Seoul. By linking entry points such as airports to major regional destinations in a single pass, the initiative is expected to draw more independent foreign travelers to destinations across the country.

Global travel booking platform Klook announced Friday that it has been named an official online travel agency partner for the Korea Tourism Organization's K-Tour Pass, a program designed to support regional travel expansion among foreign tourists visiting Korea.

The K-Tour Pass is a tourism pass exclusively for foreign visitors that bundles domestic transportation with regional tourism benefits. It connects the Airport Railroad with rail and express bus services for travel from Incheon to Busan, making regional travel more convenient and encouraging foreign tourists to explore Busan.

Klook's selection as an official partner was driven by its mobility booking infrastructure. The company was recognized for its role as an official partner of Korail and the Express Bus Transport Business Association, through which it has provided real-time ticketing, Airport Railroad services, tourism taxis and other comprehensive transportation products.

Klook will handle sales and promotion of the K-Tour Pass. Sales began Thursday, and buyers can choose between a Korail Pass valid for two to five days or a rail and bus segment ticket to Busan. The pass includes one free ride on the Airport Railroad express train, and customers who opt for a physical card will also receive a transportation card. On the tourism side, holders can visit one of 35 paid attractions in Busan free of charge and receive discounts at around 50 affiliated merchants. Klook is also offering pass buyers an additional 50 percent discount coupon for the Airport Railroad and a 40 percent discount coupon for rail, express bus and Korail Pass services, reducing transportation costs for foreign tourists.

Meanwhile, foreign tourist interest is spreading well beyond Seoul to destinations across the country. An analysis of Klook traffic for products outside the Greater Seoul area from Jan. 1 through Sept. 27 this year showed that among major cities, Busan recorded roughly 45 percent growth compared with the same period last year, Gyeongju rose 78 percent and Gangneung surged 401 percent. Starting with this pass, Klook plans to expand related products and services so that foreign tourists' travel extends beyond Seoul and Busan to a wider range of regions, contributing to tourism growth across Korea.

"Improving transportation accessibility — turning interest in Korea into actual travel — is key to increasing foreign tourist visits to regional destinations," said Lee Jun-ho, Klook's Korea country manager. "With both a global customer base and domestic mobility services, we aim to use the K-Tour Pass to help more international travelers visit Busan and other regions with ease, and to contribute to tourism growth in a variety of destinations going forward."