News Release

SEOUL (July 23, 2025) — Brand USA, the destination marketing organization for the Unites States, successfully concluded a highly engaging Sales Mission to Korea, held for two days from July 21 to 22 at the JW Marriott Dongdaemum Square Seoul. This event brought together 25 U.S. partners, including six first-time participants, underscoring a growing interest in the South Korean market.

The delegation was led by Malcolm Smith, Senior Vice President, Global Markets & Chief Trade and Product Development Officer at Brand USA, who was visiting Korea for the first time. His leadership marked a significant moment in Brand USA’s continued investment in the Korean market.

This year’s Sales Mission offered a range of impactful activities, including product presentations and 1:1 business appointments between U.S. partners and key Korean product managers and tour operators. These strategic meetings were designed to facilitate future travel to the U.S. by developing tailored experiences for Korean travelers.

Malcolm Smith, senior vice president, global markets & chief rrade and product development officer of Brand USA said, “This Sales Mission demonstrated the strong, two-way commitment between U.S. partners and the Korean travel trade. It was not only an opportunity to forge new connections but also to strengthen long-standing partnerships through meaningful dialogue and shared learnings. Korea continues to be a core target market for the U.S., and we’re excited to build on this momentum to ensure that the U.S. stays top of mind among Korean travelers.”

A notable program at the Sales Mission was an educational session led by Travelholic, an online travel content provider, which provided insights into Korea’s evolving OTA landscape. This session equipped the U.S. partners with valuable insights on how to effectively collaborate with Korea’s digital distribution channels to optimize their outreach and sales efforts.

Brand USA also hosted a special reunion that gathered alumni attendees from last year's destination immersion initiative, formerly known as Brand USA's MegaFams. The reunion fostered continued collaboration, inspired new growth opportunities, and reinforced strong professional and personal bonds among partners.

Korea remains a core market for the United States with over 1.7 million arrivals to the U.S. in 2024, up 6% year-on-year. With non-stop route launches and additional flights this year, South Korea ranks 7th largest overseas market for the U.S. based on 2025 seat capacity.

The United States is poised to take center stage for global travelers with a lineup of landmark global events and cultural celebrations beginning in 2025. Major highlights include the FIFA Club World Cup, the Ryder Cup in New York, Super Bowl LX in California, and the 2026 FIFA World Cup. In addition to these premier sporting events, the country will commemorate historic milestones such as the 100th anniversary of Route 66 and the semiquincentennial of its founding through a series of cultural celebrations held across the nation. Enhancing its appeal, new immersive attractions—such as Universal’s Epic Universe—are also set to open in the coming years. In celebration of the 250th anniversary, Brand USA has partnered with the official America250 campaign to promote the nation’s history and cultural values worldwide, while advancing long-term strategies to grow international tourism.

The following U.S. partners participated in the 2025 Korea Sales Mission (listed in alphabetical order):

• Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau

• Destination DC

• Destination Niagara USA

• Disneyland Resort

• Experience Kissimmee

• Explore Fairbanks

• Hertz

• Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority

• Maverick Helicopters

• San Francisco Travel Association

• Seattle NorthCountry

• Sheridan County Travel & Tourism

• The Cupertino & Grand Hotel & Vidovich Vineyards Silicon Valley

• Tour America LLC

• Travel Oregon

• Travel Portland

• Travel Texas

• Utah Office of Tourism

• Visit Austin

• Visit California

• Visit Houston

• Visit Orlando & Orlando International Airport

• Visit Salt Lake

• Visit Seattle

• Whirlpool Jet Boat Tours