Gyeongju, Namwon, Yangyang, Ulsan, Cheongju, and Hadong Selected for Intelligent Tourism City Project
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 8th that they have selected six locations for the 2022 Smart Tourism City Development Project.
The final selected locations include Gyeongju-si, Namwon-si, Yangyang-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City (Nam-gu), Cheongju-si, and Hadong-gun.
The Smart Tourism City Development Project integrates ICT technology into existing tourist destinations to provide various smart tourism services such as guidance, transportation, and shopping, aiming to improve regional tourism content and infrastructure.
The project was divided into three types for the competition: ▲Transportation-linked type (local governments with KTX, airports, etc.) ▲Tourist attraction type (local governments nationwide) ▲Small-scale type (local governments with populations under 150,000). A total of 40 local governments participated, and from 12 candidates who passed the document screening, six were selected?two from each type?based on comprehensive evaluation of the specificity and feasibility of detailed projects, the local governments’ willingness to promote the project, and plans to implement regionally specialized smart tourism.
The six final selected local governments will receive 3.5 billion KRW in national funding (with a mandatory 1:1 local government matching fund) and plan to comprehensively implement intelligent (smart) tourism elements specialized for each type and region.
Ulsan Metropolitan City, selected as the transportation-linked type, will develop the Ulsan Smart Tourism Specialized Platform combining the baleen whale growth simulation and smart tourism services around the Jangsaengpo Whale Culture Special Zone. It will establish an integrated mobility service connecting transportation networks such as Ulsan Station, Taehwagang Station, and Ulsan Airport to tourist destinations. Additionally, it will offer participatory content such as immersive whale experiences realized through smart technology, smart ICT ship experiences, and a baleen whale feeding game.
Cheongju-si will promote a smart tourism city project based on its transportation advantages including Cheongju International Airport, Osong Station, and bus terminals, and its identity as a record culture city through a digilog (digital + analog) record. It will specialize various tourism resources concentrated in the old downtown area, such as the Culture Factory, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Craft Biennale, and Dongbu Warehouse, into stay-type tourism content. In particular, it will provide services that allow travel experiences to be recorded as digital and analog content such as videos, stories, publications, and archives.
Gyeongju-si, selected as the tourist attraction type, will develop the Hwangridan-gil area, where world cultural heritage and the latest travel trends coexist, into a global smart tourism city. It will build an integrated smart tourism platform ‘Gyeongju-roON’ and the ‘Metaverse Lounge Hwangridan’ encompassing a traveler center, media content, and digital signage. It will also establish a one-stop transportation service ‘Smart Gyeongju Horse (馬)’, a travel inconvenience and information communication space ‘Gyeongju Smart Tong (通)’, and an exterior wall video ‘Smart Scene (新) World’.
Namwon-si plans to create a unique traditional culture experience and a long-stay cultural tourism city centered around the Gwanghallu Garden area, with themes and stories changing from morning to night. It will offer time-based content such as the ‘Heungeol Busking’ cultural experience around Gwanghallu Garden, the ‘Wolmae Joomak’ entertainment experience near Yocheon, and the ‘Geumeum Night Walk’ experience, naturally guiding visitors to the Moonlight Garden and lodging districts to provide stay-type smart tourism services.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 8th that they have selected six locations for the 2022 Smart Tourism City Development Project. The photo shows the platform image of Yangyang, which was selected as a small and medium-sized smart tourism city. Photo by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
Yangyang-gun, selected as the small-scale type, will build a one-stop integrated reservation platform for tourism, transportation, accommodation, and restaurants in marine leisure specialized zones such as Surf Beach, Gisamun Port, Jukdo, and Inguhang under the theme ‘Waves in My Hand, Smart Travel - Smart Surf City Yangyang’. It will enhance visitor convenience by providing services such as integrated surfing information, surfing shop reservation and payment, real-time wave forecasts, surfing instructor and lesson certification systems, Metabeach, and AR waves.
Hadong-gun will develop a new-concept tourist village ‘Daon (茶-On)’ near the green tea industry special zone, including local tourist sites and tea plantations, where visitors can enjoy tea smartly and heal. It will offer services such as ‘AI Customized Tea Recommendation Service’ considering individual preferences and health conditions, ‘Tea-Themed Media Art Camping’ where visitors can enjoy media art while drinking tea, certification of Hadong premium wild tea, and real-time tea plantation reservations.
A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official stated, “The project plans that integrate technology based on unique local tourism resources and implement smart tourism services specialized for each region stood out,” adding, “We will strive to maximize differentiated smart tourism elements by region and promote the expansion of regional smart tourism connections through service and content linkage between cities.”
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