Hana Tour is restructuring its business around customers' interests and travel purposes following the appointment of Cho Jwa-jin as chief executive. The company plans to strengthen the competitiveness of its existing package tours while developing interest-based travel, an inbound platform and artificial intelligence services as new growth pillars.
Cho unveiled a medium- to long-term growth strategy called "Chapter 2" upon taking office, Hana Tour said on the 12th. The core of the plan is to segment travel products based on who customers travel with and what experiences they want, moving away from the conventional approach of first choosing a destination and price.
The company will first expand its "interest-based travel" product lineup, reflecting customer preferences such as golf, food and wellness, and the arts. It aims to package itineraries and experiences that individuals find difficult to arrange on their own, targeting demand that sits between existing package tours and independent travel.
Hana Tour will also expand its inbound business for foreign visitors to South Korea. The approach connects domestic tourism content — including K-beauty, medical and wellness services, and performances — as well as flights and accommodations on a single platform. The company will also upgrade its proprietary AI service, "H-AI," to analyze customer preferences and support everything from pre-trip itinerary recommendations and bookings to post-trip records.
The company has also changed its management structure. Hana Tour introduced an executive officer system, allowing the board to focus on strategy and oversight while expanding the management team's execution authority. Separately, Cho recently purchased 3,200 company shares on the open market as a show of accountability, and plans to buy an additional 100 million won worth of company shares each year during his tenure.
