Kangwon Land Inc signs deals with Philippine and Vietnamese travel firms

Kangwon Land Inc, operator of Kangwon Land – a resort with South Korea’s only casino open to locals – is increasing ties with Southeast Asian travel firms to encourage additional foreign visitors to the property It said in a press release, it has signed agreements with two travel agencies: Leisure Trips Philippines; and Dong Thi Travel, in Vietnam. The partnerships aim to develop tourism products taking advantage of what Kangwon Land Inc termed a visa-free entry scheme at Yangyang International Airport. The regional air hub is 127 kilometres (79 miles), north of Kangwon Land and a two-hour drive away, but within Gangwon province, the home of the resort. The visa-free scheme is for group travellers from the Philippines, Vietnam, Mongolia, and Indonesia per the release. It noted that Kangwon Land Inc had previously taken advantage of the airport’s visa-free scheme to attract approximately 1,000 Filipino group tourists to the property – known as High1 Resort – annually since 2022. The release also announced plans to develop tourism products with Airmark, the Philippine general sales agent for South Korean air carrier Aero K, linked to the pending resumption of flights in November between Manila International Airport in the Philippines, and Cheongju International Airport in central South Korea. The latter airport is 171 kilometres southwest of Kangwon Land, or circa a 130-minute drive. Kangwon Land Inc has 13 tourism partners in nine countries and expects to increase the tally to 16 by year-end, focusing on the Philippines and Vietnamese markets, said the release. It added that the firm received about 60,000 foreign visitors in the first eight months of 2026, up from 40,000 in the prior-year period. The firm is targeting 120,000 foreign visitors for full-year 2026.