Early Edition with Kate Hawkesby

There’s nothing quite like watching a well-thought-out strategy come together and work. And hats off to South Korea this morning — they’re absolutely smashing it when it comes to tourism. The government set a goal: 30 million visitors a year by 2030. In 2005, they had 6 million. Last year? 16 million. This year: they’re on track to hit 20 million. This isn’t happening by chance — it’s happening by design. Government and business have come together and gone all in on infrastructure and law changes. They’re extending an electronic visa-free travel pass. By the start of next year, they’ll have integrated ticketing for all public transport. You’ll use the same pass for major tourist attractions. Imagine catching the Waiheke ferry and doing the luge — all on one pass. There’s a big push on regional tourism. But their secret sauce? A cultural takeover of movies, TV shows, and music. That’s another industry they’ve invested in heavily — and now it’s paying dividends we could only dream of. We know this works — just