13 Million Tourists Visited Gangwon-do in May... Growth Rate Ranks Among the Top Nationwide

13% Increase Compared to Previous Month, 17% Increase Compared to Previous Year ... Tourism Consumption Approximately 203 Billion Won

Gangneung Jungang Market [Gangneung-si]

[Asia Economy Reporter La Youngcheol] The number of tourists visiting the Gangwon region in May this year increased compared to the previous month and the same period last year, ranking among the top nationwide.

According to the analysis of Gangwon tourism trends in May released by the Gangwon Tourism Foundation on the 29th, the total number of tourists visiting Gangwon Province was about 13.18 million, an increase of 13% from the previous month and 17% from the previous year.

This is a top ranking compared to the national average increase rates of 7% month-on-month and 11% year-on-year.

The increase compared to the previous month was influenced by the relaxation of the outdoor mask-wearing mandate (May 2), and the increase compared to the previous year was attributed to the lifting of social distancing measures in April.

By city and county, 18 cities and counties saw an increase in visitors compared to the previous month, and 17 cities and counties saw an increase compared to the previous year. The highest month-on-month growth rate was in Jeongseon-gun (about 36%), showing an increase in stay-type tourism.

Jeongseon Arirang Market [Jeongseon-gun]

The scale of tourism consumption was about 203 billion KRW, an increase of 48.8 billion KRW (+31.7%) compared to the previous month, and an increase of 40.6 billion KRW (+25%) compared to the previous year.

Per capita spending also increased across all age groups, rising to 1.544 from 1.319 in April.

The 40s age group showed the largest increase at +43%, and food, which accounts for the largest portion of tourism consumption, showed a higher increase (+27.4%) compared to the previous month.

Among major tourist spots, Jeongseon's 'Arirang Market' saw about a 67% increase compared to the previous month, and the food sector tourism consumption at 'Arirang Market' increased by about 48%.

In particular, this was analyzed as an effect of the related search terms generated by the broadcast program 'Dongwon-ah Let's Travel' featuring famous trot singers in May.

Jeongseon Arirang Market ['Dongwon, Let's Go on a Trip' Broadcast Capture]

Chuncheon’s 'Romantic Market' saw visitors increase by about 195% year-on-year as visitors to 'Legoland' flowed into Chuncheon’s downtown commercial district. The average weekend tourists also surged by about 210% compared to the previous year.

Gangneung’s 'Jungang Market' experienced about a 90% increase in visitors compared to the previous month, which was attributed to an increase in stay-type visitors such as those using nearby accommodations.

Among them, the proportion of visitors in their 20s and 30s reached about 32%, indicating higher interest from younger tourists compared to other traditional markets.

Won Mungyu, head of the Tourism Marketing Office at the Gangwon Tourism Foundation, said, "The lifting of social distancing and the relaxation of the outdoor mask-wearing mandate have brought continuous increases in tourists to Gangwon Province," adding, "We will continue marketing activities such as stay-type tourism linked with traditional markets and strategies to attract visitors to downtown areas."