Ryan Bridge: We need more than agriculture to be successful

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 look at Lord of the Rings.

Almost 400 million people around the world have watched a show called K-pop Demon Hunters. It’s Netflix’s most-watched show. Ever.

And now every kid is begging their parents to take them to South Korea.

This isn’t about complaining or saying we should be doing better.

Our government has — or is at least trying to — pull together similar schemes here.

This is simply to say: what an impressive operation. Watching the Koreans plan, execute, and get results is inspiring.

It’s something that should excite us. The Saudis are going big on gaming. The Irish rolled out the red carpet for big tech. Captain Judith Collins this week reckons our next big thing should be space.

We’re world leaders in agriculture. So what do you want to add to that list — and how can we follow South Korea’s lead and make a plan to get there?

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
There's nothing quite like watching a well thought out strategy
coming together and working. And hats off to South Korea
this morning, because they're absolutely caning it. On tourism. The
government set a goal there are thirty million visitors a
year by twenty thirty. In two thousand and five, they
had six million last year, sixteen million. This year they'll
hit twenty. And this is not by chance, it's by design.

(00:21):
They've got government and business coming together and going all
in on infrastructure and law changes, a whole bunch of stuff.
They're extending an electronic visa free travel pass. They will
have integrated ticketing for all your public transport by the
start of next year. You can use the same pass
for major tourist attractions. Imagine catching the Wahiki ferry and
doing the luge all on one pass. Big push on

(00:42):
regional tourism. But their secret source is a cultural takeover
of movies, TV shows and music. That's another industry that
they bought into big time, and now it's paying massive
dividends for them, dividends we could only dream of. We
know this works. We had Lord of the Rings. Remember,
almost four hundred million people around the world have watched
a little show called k Pop Demon Hunters. Go and

(01:04):
watch it on Netflix or don't, but it's their most
watched show ever, and now every kid is begging their
parents to go to South Korea. This is not to
bitch and moan and say that we should be doing
better or something our government has or is at least
trying to pull together similar schemes here. This is simply
to say, what an impressive operation to watch the Koreans
planning and executing and getting results. It's something that should

(01:29):
excite us. The Saudis are going big on gaming. The
Irish rolled out the red carpet for Big Tech. Captain
Judith Collins this week reckons our next big thing should
be space. We are world leaders in agriculture, so what
do we want to add to that list? And how
can we follow South Korea's lead and make a plan
to get there? For more from early edition with Ryan Bridge.

(01:52):
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