Revitalizing Depopulated Areas with the 'Digital Tourist Resident Card'... Pilot Projects in Pyeongchang and Okcheon

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The Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 26th that it will launch a pilot project for the 'Digital Tourist Resident Card' starting in early October to raise awareness of population decline areas and revitalize the visitor economy. The 'Digital Tourist Resident Card' is a type of honorary resident card that allows users to receive discounts on various travel convenience facilities and programs such as accommodation, food and beverage, and experiences within the region by using a QR code issued through a mobile app. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 26th that it will launch a pilot project for the ‘Digital Tourist Resident Card’ starting early October to raise awareness of depopulated areas and revitalize the visitor economy.

The ‘Digital Tourist Resident Card’ is a type of honorary resident card that allows holders to receive discounts on various travel convenience facilities and programs such as accommodation, food and beverage, and experiences within the region by using a QR code issued through a mobile app.

This project was planned with the aim of revitalizing local communities by increasing the frequency and duration of visits by tourists through tourism, amid serious risks of regional extinction caused by aging populations and population outflow. Among the 89 depopulated areas designated by the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, Pyeongchang-gun in Gangwon-do and Okcheon-gun in Chungcheongbuk-do were selected as the first pilot project sites.

The interest and commitment of the local governments in depopulated areas are also very active. Pyeongchang-gun separately allocated a local government budget to provide additional benefits for participation in the project. Okcheon-gun plans to revise local ordinances in October to offer discounts at county-operated facilities such as the Traditional Culture Experience Center.

The Tourist Resident Card can be issued from October 4th to anyone who owns a smartphone or tablet PC under their name through the Korea Tourism Organization’s travel information platform mobile app ‘Korea Travel Easy’. It is possible to obtain the card for both Pyeongchang-gun and Okcheon-gun. After obtaining the Tourist Resident Card, visitors can receive various discounts by presenting the QR code at designated businesses within the region.

Pyeongchang-gun will provide a 10,000 KRW Pyeongchang Traveler Card to the first 5,000 users of the Tourist Resident Card. Okcheon-gun will actively attract visitors by offering discounts of 10-30% on major accommodations such as the Traditional Culture Experience Center and up to 50% on experiences until the end of November.

Pyeongchang Digital Tourism Resident No. 1, Yeoriji. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

Various attractions have also been prepared for digital tourist residents. Pyeongchang-gun operates diverse programs including travel products such as tourist taxis, unique caf? experiences run by resident businesses like Wowmitan Cooperative and iPyeongchangU, camping food experiences, and cookie-making workshops. Okcheon-gun offers programs for families with children, such as native honey experiences by the Dalbit Village Agricultural Cooperative. Additionally, visitors can enjoy tours related to modern historical figures at nearby tourist sites such as the birthplaces of Jeong Ji-yong and Yuk Young-soo.

The first ‘Digital Tourist Resident’ has also been selected for each region. Gangwon’s Pyeongchang-gun will issue the first digital tourist resident card to ‘Yeoriji,’ a virtual influencer (virtual human) created by the Korea Tourism Organization, while Chungbuk’s Okcheon-gun will issue it to singer ‘Yoyomi,’ known as the IU of the trot music scene. Yeoriji, who is already promoting the tourism appeal of depopulated areas such as Cheorwon-gun and Yeoncheon-gun, will promote attractive spots in Pyeongchang such as Banglim Byeolgok Caf? and Sannomi Ranch through social networks as Pyeongchang’s first digital tourist resident. Singer Yoyomi will attend the first digital tourist resident card awarding ceremony held by the Korea Tourism Organization’s Sejong Chungbuk branch and Okcheon-gun on September 28 and plans to shoot promotional videos for various local experience programs.

Kim Seong-hoon, Director of the National Tourism Office at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, “We plan to review the results of the pilot projects in the two regions this year to enhance the benefits and service levels provided to Tourist Resident Card holders and to expand the project to more regions starting next year.” He added, “This pilot project also focuses on securing actual usage data to derive region-specific marketing strategies for the successful establishment of the Digital Tourist Resident Card.”