Australia-Korea Business Awards: How the Australian Tourism Board Boosted Visitor Numbers by 43%!
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[Sports Seoul | Reporter Wi Su-jeong] Tourism Australia picked up an award recognizing its role in energizing tourism exchanges and driving visitor growth between South Korea and Australia.
The organization won the Visitor Economy Award at the 2026 Australia-Korea Business Awards, held at the Grand Hyatt Seoul on March 27.
Organized by the Australian Chamber of Commerce in Korea and supported by the Australian Embassy in Seoul and the HoHan Foundation, the awards honor companies and institutions that strengthen economic cooperation and business ties between the two nations. About 100 industry leaders, including government officials and senior executives, attended.
Tourism Australia earned the honor by raising awareness of Australia in the South Korean market and converting that interest into real travel bookings. In 2025, roughly 398,400 South Korean visitors traveled to Australia — a 6% rise from the prior year and a striking 43% increase over 2019 figures.
Officials highlighted the global brand campaign launched last November — G’day (Come and Say G’day) — as a key driver. The campaign resonated with South Korean travelers and boosted brand preference, with market-specific marketing turning curiosity into trips.
Derek Baines, Tourism Australia’s Regional Director for Korea and Japan, said, “This award is meaningful because it recognizes the steady growth of Australian tourism in the South Korean market and the results of our collaboration with travel industry partners. It’s encouraging that our new campaign increased consideration for travel to Australia.”
He added, “We’ll keep working closely with South Korean media and travel partners to make sure travelers can enjoy a wide variety of experiences across Australia.”
Tourism Australia said it will continue to treat South Korea as a core strategic market and expand tourism exchanges through diverse marketing efforts and partnerships. wsj0114@sportsseoul.com
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