One out of every five foreign visitors entering Korea now arrives through regional airports outside the capital area, as expanded low-cost carrier routes and surging international demand change the way international tourists travel in Korea. According to data released by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) at a seminar, Thursday, regional entry points such as Cheongju, Daegu, Gimhae and Jeju accounted for 20.7 percent of all foreign arrivals during the first half of this year. Cheongju International Airport recorded a 109.1 percent jump in international arrivals compared to the same period last year. The growth was largely driven by an influx of Taiwanese travelers and an increase in budget airline flights. KTO President Park Sung-hyeuck highlighted the broader recovery of the nation's tourism industry. He said foreign tourist arrivals reached 12.8 million through July, up 21.3 percent from a year earlier. "Regional airports, local destinations and K-content serve as new contact points, making it crucial to read these changes through data and find practical solutions for the field," Par