The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO) and Traveloka held a tourism seminar aimed at expanding demand from Indonesian travellers to South Korea, with a focus on independent travel.
Around 60 participants attended the session, including representatives from Traveloka, local tourism operators and agencies specialising in free independent travellers (FIT). Industry participants included Everland, Shinsegae Premium Outlets, Novotel Suwon and Island Castle, alongside public sector representatives such as Suwon City and the Hwaseong City Cultural and Tourism Foundation.
The seminar included an overview of Traveloka’s platform, marketing approaches for independent travellers and a networking session. Participants discussed how to use digital platforms to promote tourism products and reviewed recent travel trends in the Indonesian market.
Indonesia, with a population of about 280 million, is a growing source market for South Korea. Data from Korea Tourism Data Lab shows that about 360,000 Indonesians visited South Korea in 2025, an increase of 8.3 per cent compared with the previous year. A 2025 survey by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism found that 86.6 per cent of Indonesians have a favourable view of South Korea.
Policy developments may also support travel growth. A pilot programme allowing visa-free entry for Indonesian groups of three or more was outlined at the 11th National Tourism Strategy Meeting in February. Indonesian president Prabowo Subianto is also scheduled to visit South Korea later this month.
GTO and Traveloka said they will work with local tourism businesses to increase the number of Gyeonggi-based products listed on the platform. Traveloka plans to assign dedicated managers to support the registration of attractions and accommodation providers.
“The proportion of independent travellers visiting South Korea continues to rise,” said an official from GTO. “To capture the Indonesian market – which boasts the world’s fourth largest population and the largest Muslim population – we will collaborate with Traveloka and our local industry partners to drive a substantial increase in tourism to Gyeonggi Province.”
