The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO; Korean: 한국관광공사) is an organization of the Republic of Korea (South Korea) under the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. It is commissioned to promote the country's tourism industry.
Formation | 1962 |
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Legal status | Statutory organization |
Affiliations | Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism |
Website | kto |
Korea Tourism Organization | |
Hangul | 한국관광공사 |
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Hanja | 韓國觀光公社 |
Revised Romanization | Hanguk Gwan-gwang Gongsa |
McCune–Reischauer | Han'guk Kwan'kwang Kongsa |
The KTO was established in 1962 as a government-invested corporation responsible for the South Korean tourism industry according to the International Tourism Corporation Act.[1] The organization promotes Korea as a tourist destination to attract foreign tourists. Starting in the 1980s, domestic tourism promotion also became a function of the KTO.
Inbound visitors totaled over 6 million in 2006[2] and the tourism industry is said to be one of the factors that has some influence on the Korean economy.[3]