Designation and Renewal of a Travel Agency Exclusively for Chinese Group Tourists — General Travel Agency Requirement, 2-Year Validity, Renewal 90 Days Before Expiry

Procedure

1. 1. Confirm general travel agency registration and eligibility

   Only operators registered as a general travel agency under Article 4 of the Tourism Promotion Act may apply. If the business is registered as an overseas-and-domestic or domestic travel agency, it must first complete a change of registration to a general travel agency (capital of 50,000,000 won or more). If a previous designation was revoked, 2 years must pass from the date of revocation before applying again.

2. 2. Check the new designation and renewal evaluation notices

   To designate agencies, the Minister must post the application period and method on the Ministry website (Enforcement Rule Article 21-2(2)). In 2026, the new designation notice was posted in January and the renewal evaluation notice in August. Evaluation items, scores and the submission method are confirmed in that year's notice.

3. 3. Prepare attachments and plans

   Collect objective documents such as standard financial statement certificates for the last 4 years, the employment insurance roster issued within 1 month, and a copy of the guarantee insurance policy. The marketing and tourist attraction plan, the plan for responding to tourist absconding and safety accidents, the record of foreign tourists attracted (Annex Form 24-3), and 3 different group tour product plans (Annex Form 24-4) are used directly in the evaluation, so they are written to match actual operations.

4. 4. Submit the designation application and review

   Submit the designated travel agency application (Annex Form 24-2) with the attachments to the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The processing period on the form is 60 days, and violations of the Tourism Promotion Act in the last 3 years are considered. Once designated, a designation certificate (Annex Form 24-5) is issued.

5. 5. Apply for renewal every 2 years

   The designation is valid for 2 years. To continue, submit the same form (renewal box checked) with the same attachments as a new application no later than 90 days before the validity period ends. If the requirements are met, a new designation certificate is issued no later than 30 days before the validity period ends.

Required documents

• Designated travel agency designation/renewal application (Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Annex Form 24-2)
• Copy of tourism business registration certificate (Annex Form 5 of the same Rule, general travel agency)
• One of: copy of guarantee insurance policy, copy of mutual aid business guarantee, or certificate of business deposit with a tourism association
• Standard financial statement certificates for the last 4 years (issued through the national tax information network)
• Employment insurance workplace roster (issued within 1 month of the application deadline, all employees)
• Resume of the applicant (for a corporation, each representative)
• Proof of public tourism awards in the last 4 years, and documents on selection as an excellent travel business (if applicable)
• Marketing and tourist attraction plan, and plan for responding to tourist absconding and safety accidents
• Record of foreign tourists attracted (Annex Form 24-3) with certificates of attraction results
• Group tour product plans (Annex Form 24-4), 3 with different content

Fees

Typically from several hundred thousand won to around one million won or more in the industry · Quoted after consultation depending on whether it is a new designation or renewal, and the volume of the attraction plan, absconding response plan, 3 product plans and evidence of attraction results.

See fees and official charges for this service →

Legal basis and review date

• Tourism Promotion Act, Article 4
• Tourism Promotion Act, Article 12-3
• Enforcement Decree of the Tourism Promotion Act, Article 5 and Annex Table 1
• Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Article 21-2
• Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Annex Form 24-2
• Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Annex Form 24-3
• Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Annex Form 24-4
• Enforcement Rule of the Tourism Promotion Act, Annex Form 24-5
• Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism notice on new designation of travel agencies exclusively attracting Chinese group tourists for 2026
• Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism notice on 2026 renewal evaluation of Chinese designated travel agencies

Checked against the statutes on 2026-10-14

Statutes and public notices change, so each case needs to be checked individually. Statute titles are given in English for reference. The Korean statutes are the authoritative text.

Check these first

• The employment insurance roster is accepted only if issued within 1 month of the application deadline, and standard financial statement certificates only if issued through the national tax information network, so time their issuance to the notice deadline.
• A designation may be revoked if tourists abscond intentionally or through collusion (Tourism Promotion Act Article 12-3(3)3), so the management measures written in the response plan must also be followed in actual operations.

Frequently asked questions