Daegu readies tours, discounts for World Masters Athletics visitors

Daegu is rolling out guided tours, steep attraction discounts and hands-on cultural experiences for the roughly 11,000 athletes and family members from 90 countries expected to arrive for the World Masters Athletics Championships, Aug. 22 through Sept. 3, 2026.

The programming — which spans medical tourism packages, hanbok fittings and day trips to UNESCO-listed heritage sites — reflects the growing ambition of South Korean cities to package cultural hospitality around major sporting events. For Korean Americans in Orange County with family or travel ties to the North Gyeongsang region, the plans offer a practical preview of one of the peninsula's largest international gatherings this year.

The city organized three daytime tour routes — running 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — covering art landmarks, modern history sites and natural areas, according to The Korea Times. Evening programs from 4 to 9 p.m. take visitors along Suseong Lake and up to the Mount Ap Observatory.

County-level offerings extend the calendar further. Dalseong County is operating four full-day weekend tours to Nampyeong Moon Clan Village and Sojae Temple, while Gunwi County is promoting its Sayuwon Arboretum and Architecture Park alongside running programs tailored to competing athletes.

Day trips will be available to Gyeongju, the ancient capital of the Silla Kingdom, and to Andong, considered the heartland of Korea's Confucian heritage and home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Hahoe Folk Village, The Korea Times reported.

Visitors taking in the city itself can enter Daegu Art Museum free of charge, receive a 30 percent discount at Kansong Art Museum Daegu and purchase half-price all-day passes at the E-World theme park.

A medical tourism program covers cosmetic procedures, dental services, health checkups and oriental medicine experiences. The Korea Traditional Culture Center will host traditional tea ceremonies and hanbok dress sessions for visitors seeking hands-on cultural immersion, according to the report.

A dedicated tourism information center is set to open Aug. 20 — two days before competition begins — and run through the championships' close on Sept. 3.

City officials have positioned the championships — which draw competitors aged 35 and older from across the globe — as a chance to showcase Daegu alongside surrounding heritage destinations, with cultural and wellness programming aimed at extending visitor stays well beyond competition days.