Company plans to build on trade fair momentum to accelerate overseas expansion and new sales channel development, with a focus on the U.S. market
SEOUL, South Korea, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Agricultural Corporation Geumsan Insamju has wrapped up its participation in the "2026 International Ginseng Trade Fair," showcasing its traditional ginseng liquor production techniques and product competitiveness to domestic and international audiences. Building on the event, the company plans to expand its touchpoints with domestic and international buyers and accelerate its overseas market entry and new sales channel development, with a focus on the United States.
Geumsan Insamju operated a promotional booth at the "2026 International Ginseng Trade Fair," held from October 2 to 11 at the plaza of the Geumsan World Ginseng Expo. At the event, the company presented key products, including yakju (medicinal rice wine) and general distilled spirits made with domestic rice and ginseng, and introduced its products, brand, and production techniques to domestic and international visitors and buyers.
At this year's event, Geumsan Insamju placed particular emphasis on directly introducing its traditional ginseng liquor production techniques alongside its product displays. The company held a production demonstration based on its ginseng liquor-making technique — designated as Korea's Food Master No. 2 and Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 19 — and offered a tasting program that allowed visitors to directly experience its key products.
Geumsan Insamju produces yakju and general distilled spirits using domestic rice and ginseng in Geumsan, South Chungcheong Province. In particular, the company has built a differentiated production competitiveness with its ginseng distilled spirits, which — unlike conventional ginseng-infused liquors — are made by adding ginseng from the fermentation stage, based on domestic rice and nuruk (fermentation starter), followed by vacuum distillation.
At the event, the Food Master personally demonstrated the traditional ginseng liquor production process. Through this, the company introduced the long-standing production technique and the method that distinguishes it from conventional ginseng-infused liquors, pairing the demonstration with product tastings to convey both Geumsan Insamju's tradition and its product characteristics.
Alongside its traditional production techniques, the company also introduced its modernized products. Geumsan Insamju has been moving beyond the conventional image of ginseng liquor by developing products at various alcohol content levels with contemporary packaging. The company's strategy is to maintain its long-standing production techniques while reflecting evolving consumer tastes in its products and design, expanding the points of contact between ginseng liquor and consumers.
Participation in this year's trade fair also carried significance as a touchpoint for overseas market entry. At the event, Geumsan Insamju introduced its products and production techniques to domestic and international buyers, gauging overseas market response and demand while focusing on raising international awareness of ginseng liquor made with domestic ginseng.
In particular, the company is focusing on the United States as a key market for its future overseas business. Building on its participation in the trade fair, Geumsan Insamju plans to continue expanding its touchpoints with domestic and international buyers while developing a concrete market-entry strategy tailored to the U.S. market to drive substantive export growth.
To this end, the company is also ramping up overseas marketing efforts through an export voucher program. Geumsan Insamju is producing promotional videos in foreign languages to introduce its products and brand to overseas consumers and buyers, and is conducting market-entry strategy consulting to closely analyze local market conditions, consumer characteristics, and distribution and marketing directions.
Based on this market analysis, the company is also working to identify new buyers and distribution channels. The plan is to develop a market-entry approach suited to the U.S. market and to build, step by step, a business foundation that can translate into actual product distribution and sales on the ground. By linking its trade fair participation, overseas promotion, and local market analysis, the company aims to move beyond simple brand exposure toward securing substantive export sales channels.
Over the long term, Geumsan Insamju plans to gradually expand into additional export countries, building on the experience and results it accumulates in the U.S. market. While maintaining its brand identity rooted in traditional ginseng liquor production techniques and domestic ginseng, the company intends to build products, marketing, and distribution strategies suited to overseas consumers, strengthening its competitiveness in the global market.
Following its participation in this year's International Ginseng Trade Fair, Geumsan Insamju plans to continue expanding its domestic and international touchpoints for traditional ginseng liquor. By carrying on the Food Master's production techniques while modernizing its products and brand, and expanding its overseas distribution networks and export channels starting with the United States, the company aims to grow into a global brand that introduces Korean ginseng and liquor culture to the world market.
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Agricultural Corporation Geumsan Insamju Concludes '2026 International Ginseng Trade Fair' Participation, Expands Global Market Touchpoints Through Traditional Craftsmanship
Crisis • Resilience • Evolution — Building a Tourism Economy for a Shared Future
MACAO, Oct. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- The 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum • Macao 2026, scheduled for 15 to 17 October, officially announced today a selection of core speakers and key agenda highlights for this year's edition. Under the theme "Crisis • Resilience • Evolution — Building a Tourism Economy for a Shared Future", the Forum convenes political and business leaders, academia elites, and international organization representatives from across five continents to jointly explore the path toward reshaping the tourism economy and achieving sustainable development. This year's agenda introduces four major new highlights:
Global Thought Leadership: Shaping the Future Tourism Economy
The Forum invites Professor Jeffrey D. SACHS, world-renowned economics professor and Director of the Center for Sustainable Development at Columbia University, to deliver a keynote speech. Drawing on his 30,000-kilometre "Marco Polo Drive of Peace, Culture and Sustainable Development" across Eurasia, he will examine tourism's unique role as a bridge for cross-cultural exchange and a powerful argument for peace. LONG Yongtu, former lead negotiator for China's WTO accession, former Secretary-General of the Boao Forum for Asia, and Honorary Chairman of the Forum, will also deliver a keynote speech to analyze China's inclusive growth model, offering crucial insights for the transformation and upgrading of the global tourism economy.
Ministerial Dialogue and Southeast Asian Leadership
In partnership with UN Tourism, the Forum will host a high-level ministerial panel to examine effective public-private collaboration ahead of the 2027 International Year of Sustainable and Resilient Tourism. The session will feature ministerial leaders including CHIEW Choon Man, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture of Malaysia; and KIM Dae-hyun, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea. They will share the stage with prominent private sector leaders including Hary TANOESOEDIBJO, Executive Chairman of MNC Group; Hamish KEITH, CEO of EXO Travel Group; and MAO Xiao, Director and CEO of Shanghai Jinjiang International Hotels Co., Ltd., to discuss how to strengthen public-private partnerships, aligning government policies with private investment to achieve maximum synergy.
Aviation Mobility, Global Capital, and AI Innovation
The Forum collaborates with authoritative institutions such as the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), and European Travel Commission (ETC) to present major discussion sessions. On regional corridors and mobility, Tony FERNANDES, Co-Founder of AirAsia and CEO of Capital A Group; Arthur YU, CFO of H World Group Limited; Tyrion TONG, Vice President of Public Affairs of Alibaba Group; and Fred ZHOU, President and Board Director of MGM Hospitality Asia Pacific Limited, will explore emerging Asia Pacific travel trends. Decius VALMORBIDA, President of Travel at Amadeus IT Group, will share forward-looking insights on how agentic AI is disrupting global booking and itinerary experiences. Additionally, Price KARR, Chief Financial Officer at Wynn Macau, Limited, will deliver a presentation on how Wynn Resorts leverages AI technology to reshape the cultural tourism experience.
In global investment and cross-border connectivity, Greg O'HARA, Founder and Senior Managing Director of Certares, alongside LUO Suping, Chairman of the board of Hainan Tourism Investment Group Co., Ltd., and Andrew XU, Co-President and Chief Growth Officer of Club Med Lifestyle Group, will analyze destination investment environments. Meanwhile, Elena KOUNTOURA, Vice-Chair of the Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament; Miguel SANZ CASTEDO, President of the European Travel Commission; SU Guoxin, Chairman of the Board of Directors, CITIC Europe Holdings a.s.; and Leo LIU, Vice President of Public Sector at Mastercard China, will address facilitating two-way visitor flows between Europe and China.
Cultural Heritage, Experiential Commerce, and Inbound Transformation
Addressing evolving consumer preferences, the Forum explores how cross-sector Tourism+ collaboration creates lasting value. Eric FOK, Vice Chairman of the Global Tourism Economy Research Centre and Chairman of the Football Association of Hong Kong, China, will take part in a fireside chat alongside Dr. Wilfred WONG, Executive Vice Chairman of Sands China Ltd., and WEN Jiahong, County Magistrate of Taijiang County in Guizhou (the birthplace of "Village BA"), to compare how grassroots sporting activities and top-tier international events create lasting economic value for tourism destinations.
In culture and corporate social responsibility, YU Minhong, Founder and Chairman of New Oriental Education & Technology Group, will share the deep logic behind integrating tourism with education and culture, while GAO Dekang, Founder, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Bosideng International Holdings Limited, will deliver a speech under the theme "Reaching Peaks, Embracing Warmth — Together for a Sustainable Bright Future", sharing insightful perspectives on how corporate social responsibility builds resilience and green development drives industry advancement.
In commercial space and retail innovation, Mayuree CHAIPROMPRASITH, President of Corporate Partnership and Communications at Siam Piwat Company Limited, alongside QIU Kai, Founder of Tangshan Banquet and Hetou Old Street, and representatives of Macao integrated resorts, will demonstrate how combining culture, gastronomy, and technology transforms traditional retail spaces into new tourism landmarks featuring immersive experiences, social connections, and cultural expression.
On cultural heritage and high-quality inbound tourism, Dr. KONG Vireak, Secretary-General of the Alliance for Cultural Heritage in Asia, will analyze mechanisms for cultural heritage conservation and living inheritance. Maria Helena DE SENNA FERNANDES, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Leo ZHANG, Vice President and General Manager of Destination Cooperation Department at Trip.com Group; and HyungTae SON, Director of Hanatour Hongkong Co., Ltd., will explore enhancing service quality to craft high-quality inbound travel experiences with deep cultural heritage. Additionally, LU Yongzheng, Member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Publicity Department of the CPC Guizhou Provincial Committee, will detail how mountain residential tourism breaks away from traditional volume-led models to foster sustainable community development and industry integration.
In addition, GTEF 2026 converges a stellar lineup of local cultural, tourism, and business leaders. Among them, Tim KELLY, President of City of Dreams Macau, will deliver a live presentation at Dancing Water Theater, while Augustus LEUNG, Assistant Vice President of Hospitality & MICE Sales of Galaxy Entertainment Group, will address delegates during the delegation luncheon. In collaboration with the Macao University of Tourism (UTM), a side event seminar titled "The Next Generation of Tourism Leadership" will be hosted at its Taipa Campus. The session will bring together leading academic authorities to explore talent attraction and development strategies. It will also examine how to close the gap between the classroom and real-world industry to foster future leaders. Dr. Fanny VONG, Rector of Macao University of Tourism, will also attend the event. The Forum has also arranged a dedicated Health and Wellness Industry Inspection Tour, leading participants to visit the Macao Union Medical Center as well as key infrastructure developments across the Guangdong-Macao In-Depth Cooperation Zone in Hengqin. The itinerary comprehensively showcases the unique appeal of "Tourism+" cross-sector integration and new regional development opportunities between Macao and Hengqin.
As a premier global platform for high-level dialogue in culture and tourism, the 12th Global Tourism Economy Forum leverages Macao's unique advantages as a World Centre of Tourism and Leisure and a core engine of the Greater Bay Area. The Forum continues to serve as a robust bridge connecting China with the world, injecting strong momentum into a new era of resilient, inclusive, and high-quality sustainable global tourism economic growth.
About Global Tourism Economy Forum
Founded in 2012, the Global Tourism Economy Forum is a premier international platform dedicated to promoting the sustainable development of the global tourism economy. Serving as an essential bridge for exchange and cooperation between China and the international community, the Forum convenes leaders from governments, enterprises, academia, and international organizations worldwide to address opportunities and challenges in global tourism, establishing itself as one of the most influential annual events in the global tourism economy sector.
Having successfully hosted eleven editions, the Forum has attracted over 15,500 delegates from 88 countries and regions and invited more than 780 world-renowned speakers. It has established a high-level dialogue and practical cooperation network that spans the globe and connects government, industry, academia, and research.
For more details about the Forum, please visit https://gte-forum.com/en/ and follow official social media channels for the latest updates.
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12th Global Tourism Economy Forum • Macao 2026 Announces Key Speakers and Agenda Highlights
