A delivery robot operates at a Nimocamp campsite in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, Monday. (Korea Tourism Organization)

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) is ramping up technology-driven initiatives to support tourism companies grappling with persistent labor shortages, a key challenge since the post-pandemic recovery began in early 2023.

Kwon Jong-sool, executive director of the KTO’s company support division, said this year’s focus on funding businesses to implement food delivery robots has shown promising results.

One success story is St. John’s Hotel, a 1,901-room facility in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, and the largest pet-friendly hotel in Korea. With support from the KTO project, the hotel introduced two food delivery robots in July.

“I gave it a shot because I really needed extra hands to address the shrinking workforce after the pandemic,” Kim Heon-seong, the hotel’s CEO, said. “Sales have jumped this year.”

Kim added that the benefits go beyond revenue.

“Our hotel is pet-friendly, and most of our guests are families with children. Children absolutely love the robots, and that’s really something special,” he said.

Nimocamp, a campsite business in Gapyeong County, Gyeonggi Province, has also seen a recent surge in visitors after adopting two delivery robots.

Nimocamp’s success lies in appealing to adult visitors rather than children.

“These robots deliver firewood, which can sometimes be heavier than what even two young men can carry comfortably,” Jeon Eung-sik, president of Nimocamp, said. “We’ve been seeing more and more women visitors, and the robots have been a big help.”

Jeon added that the robots also deliver food orders deep into the forest and patrol the grounds at night, ensuring camper safety.

The KTO’s efforts are not limited to robotics.

Hwansang Forest on Jeju Island, known for its “gotjawal” volcanic forests and evergreen groves, has introduced a multilingual QR code system for foreign visitors. The system provides real-time updates and event information in multiple languages, including English.

The park has reported a significant increase in foreign visits this year, thanks to the new system, which was implemented with KTO’s financial support.

“Next up is artificial intelligence,” said Kwon, outlining plans to aid tourism companies starting next year.

“We will see how we can leverage the latest technologies, and we hope more firms will join us in this endeavor. Our door is always open,” Kwon added.