Gangjin-gun Sees Increase in Visitors to Major Tourist Attractions in Autumn

Increase in Visitors to Major Tourist Attractions like Gaudo and Gangjinman Ecological Park... Rise in Small Group Travelers

Recent view of Gaudo, Gangjin-gun, where the number of tourists has recently increased significantly ⓒ Asia Economy

[Gangjin＝Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su] As autumn arrives, the number of visitors to major tourist attractions in Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do, has increased.

According to the county on the 5th, 81,353 visitors visited major tourist sites such as Gaudo, Yeongnang Birthplace, and Goryeo Celadon Kiln Site in September, marking a 3% increase compared to the same month last year.

Gaudo, Gangjin-gun's representative tourist destination, saw about 28,000 visitors last month, a 15% increase compared to the previous year. In particular, the Gaudo Monorail, which opened in August, was used by about 8,100 people by the end of last month, and during the National Foundation Day holiday, 1,553 people rode it, bringing the total number of users close to 10,000 within about 50 days of opening.

Also, the "Living One Week in Gangjin" program, which has been operating since last year, was completed by 731 participants as of last month. The number of people waiting to experience the program exceeds 200, and reservation inquiries are steadily increasing, making this small-scale tourism program very popular.

In addition, major tourist attractions in Gangjin-gun such as Gangjin Bay Ecological Park, Yeongnang Birthplace, Dasan Chodang, and Baegundong Garden have also seen an increase in visitors compared to the previous year, raising interest in "Gangjin, the No. 1 destination for exploring the southern provinces."

The county analyzes that this increase in tourists is the result of a growing preference for safe travel destinations amid the COVID-19 situation, leading to increased demand for small-scale travel. In preparation for the implementation of "With Corona," which seeks a balance between quarantine and daily life, the county plans to strengthen quarantine guidance activities and increase quarantine personnel at each tourist site to develop the entire Gangjin area as a safe tourist destination.

County Governor Lee Seung-ok stated, "Tourism trends are changing due to the spread of COVID-19, with a shift toward non-face-to-face, small-scale, healing, and nature-friendly tourism," and added, "We will strive to revitalize the local economy through customized lifestyle tourism programs for small groups of visitors."

Gangjin=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Kim Yong-su kys86120@asiae.co.kr