[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Gyeongsangbuk-do held a meeting on the 6th in Gunwi to promote ‘Soulstay’ experiential tourism, which offers an escape from the weariness of daily life caused by COVID-19, healing of mind and body in nature, and experiencing a culture of life and love.
Twenty participants, including representatives from Gyeongsangbuk-do, the Soulstay project team, 12 Catholic institutions’ operators, and the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation, gathered to freely exchange opinions on ways to revitalize and operate Soulstay.
Started in 2015 as the first nationwide local government initiative, Soulstay provides various experiential tourism programs that offer participants opportunities to reflect on their lives through comfort, encouragement, service, and sharing at monasteries and retreat houses, thereby enhancing quality of life.
This year, 12 institutions from 10 cities and counties, including Cheongdo Cathedral (Cheongdo) and Gaeun Cathedral (Mungyeong), participated.
Anyone wishing to participate regardless of religion can apply directly to the respective institutions, and detailed information is available on the Soulstay website.
Kim Sang-cheol, Director of Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Gyeongsangbuk-do, said, “So far, over 60,000 tourists have visited Soulstay,” adding, “We will strive to enhance experiential tourism competitiveness by developing programs linked to Gyeongsangbuk-do’s specialized resources such as the birthplace of Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan in Gunwi and Hanti Holy Site in Chilgok.”
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