This year’s Korea Travel Expo opened its doors Thursday, showcasing a dynamic shift in domestic tourism where cinematic history and record-breaking global appeal are breathing new life into regional tourism. From Yeongwol County’s independent debut fueled by the box-office hit movie, "The King’s Warden," to Busan’s celebration of surpassing 3 million international visitors, this year’s expo highlights how diverse regional identities are becoming the nation's strongest travel assets. Under the theme "Travel beyond Daily Life, Travel Stays in Regions," the 23rd edition of the expo features 385 booths from 160 government institutions and tourism-related companies. The four-day event, co-hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Association, serves as a launch pad to distribute concentrated tourism demand from the capital to the nation’s hidden corners. "The Korea Travel Expo is a representative event that showcases the new possibilities of domestic travel," Vice Culture Minister Kim Dae-hyun said during the opening ceremony. "Through this expo,