Province secures 23 letters of intent at Tokyo port sales event

South Gyeongsang Province secured 23 letters of intent for cruise calls at Masan Port at the 2026 Korea Cruise Port Sales event held in Tokyo, Japan. [South Gyeongsang Province]
South Gyeongsang Province secured 23 letters of intent for cruise calls at Masan Port at the 2026 Korea Cruise Port Sales event held in Tokyo, Japan. [South Gyeongsang Province]

South Gyeongsang Province plans to step up efforts to attract 50,000- to 70,000-ton mid-size cruise ships to Masan Port by 2028, building on letters of intent secured at a recent port sales event in Japan.

The province said a delegation participated in the 2026 Korea Cruise Port Sales event held in Tokyo from May 26 to May 29, promoting Masan Port to global cruise lines and travel agencies and securing 23 letters of intent for port calls.

The event marked the first overseas attraction campaign since Masan Port was designated as one of the country's nine major cruise destinations.

The delegation — comprising officials from South Gyeongsang Province, the Gyeongnam Tourism Foundation and the province's Tokyo office — held one-on-one consultations with MSC Cruises, MOL Passenger Ships, NYK Cruises and JTB, Japan's largest travel agency. The team highlighted Masan Port's geographic advantages and the region's tourism assets, including its UNESCO World Heritage sites.

The letters of intent are considered a proactive achievement given the nature of cruise products, which are typically planned and marketed two to three years in advance. The province pursued the campaign with the goal of securing itinerary slots for 2028 sailings.

Masan Port welcomed a small luxury cruise ship in May, with additional calls scheduled for June 14 and May 1 next year.

The province intends to focus on attracting mid-size vessels in the 50,000- to 70,000-ton range. A single call by such a ship is expected to bring 3,000 to 5,000 tourists. An analysis by the Gyeongnam Research Institute estimates that if each foreign visitor spends an average of 50,000 won (about $33), one cruise call would generate roughly 430 million won in direct economic impact.

Taking into account that cruise tourists typically spend nine to ten hours ashore, the province presented 30-, 60- and 90-minute sightseeing routes centered on Masan Port, drawing strong interest from cruise line representatives.

Kim Sang-won, director of the province's tourism development bureau, said the province plans to invite representatives from major Japanese cruise lines on a familiarization tour in the second half of this year, while also working to expand cruise tourism infrastructure and develop new tourism products.


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