KTO selects 30 startups for open innovation program

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Friday that it has selected 30 startups for its 2026 Tourism Open Innovation program, an initiative designed to bridge the gap between nimble tech upstarts and the country’s established corporate titans. The announcement followed a kickoff event Wednesday at the Novotel Ambassador Seoul Gangnam, marking the start of a series of partnerships aimed at modernizing the nation’s travel infrastructure. The program functions as a matchmaker, pairing startups with large and mid-sized enterprises to develop pilot projects using the partners' vast resources. The selection process was notably competitive, with 302 companies vying for spots — a 10-to-1 ratio that highlights a growing appetite for digital transformation within the sector. Of the 30 finalists, 10 are specialized in artificial intelligence (AI), reflecting a strategic shift toward automated and hyper-personalized travel experiences. Under the initiative, the KTO will provide each startup with up to 100 million won ($73,000) in pilot funding, supplemented by specialized consulting and dirWeiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times