Seoul Tourism Association (STA) is the first legal tourism organization established in accordance with Tourism Promotion Law in 1961 and has led Korea's tourism industry for half a century.

STA is a nonprofit organization under the Seoul Metropolitan government having 4,700 domestic, international and general tourist agencies for hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops, cruises, casinos, amusement facilities, international conventions, photo services, observatories, tugboats etc. as group members. STA has established close ties with 15 regional associations over the country and has become the nucleus of Korean tourism.

STA has laid a foundation for ‘National Competitiveness Strength Conference’ by establishing ‘National Tourism Development Strategy’ with President Lee in 2007.

Moreover, in an effort to show the Korean sense of attachment, affection and consideration, which is called Jeong, it regularized hospitality academy education and has produced 1,442 honorary ambassadors to promote tourism, and the education is spreading nationwide.

Apart from running 13 tourist information booths in Seoul, it has invented Mobile Tourist Information which is the Asia's first moving tourist interpretation service on foot, and thus received the best award of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, 'the Star of Korean Tourism’. And now it is leading the advancement of tourist industry as a core body by improving the infrastructures of Korea's tourist industry.

Thanks to its effort, STA has received the Seoul Arts and Culture Award which is the most prestigious culture and art award in Korea for the first time as a group in 59 years.

STA established Tourism Forum of ‘Hansun Foundation (Korean Peninsula Advancement Foundation)’ in May 2008 and has been helping the government policies run efficiently. 'Hansun Foundation ' is the Korea's first special body constituted with 28 people of the public, the authority, and the academy as the tourism staff in charge, the professors specializing in Tourism etc.

STA has been promoting the marketing know-hows of tourist businesses and introducing Korea's international tourist attractions since the beginning of 2011 as well as publishing Korea's representative tourist magazine, 'Exciting Korea' containing the beauty of nationwide tourist attractions.