Oido Prehistoric Park and Sacheon Sea Cable Car, etc.
2023 Open Tourism Site Selected Destination (1) - Sacheon Sea Cable Car. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization
[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heeyoon] The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 29th that they have selected 20 tourist sites across 9 tourism zones as support targets for the '2023 Open Tourism Site Development Project.'
The 'Open Tourism Site Development Project' aims to eliminate mobility inconveniences within tourist sites for vulnerable tourists such as people with disabilities, the elderly, families with infants and young children, and pregnant women, making tourism activities easier and more convenient for all citizens.
In this call for applications, 41 tourist sites from 17 local governments applied, and the final sites were selected through a three-step process: 1st qualification check, 2nd document review, and 3rd on-site evaluation.
The newly selected open tourism sites are ▲Siheung (Oido Marine Complex and Prehistoric Relics Park) ▲Haenam (Useuyeong Tourist Site and Songho Beach) ▲Sacheon (Sea Cable Car, Choyangdo Island, Samcheonpo Bridge Park) ▲Hampyeong (Expo Park, Dolmeori Beach, Natural Ecology Park) ▲Gongju (Muryong Royal Tomb and Royal Tomb Complex, Hanok Village) ▲Daejeon (Daecheongho Meditation Garden, Daecheongho Natural Ecology Center) ▲Imsil (Saseondae Tourist Site, Osu Uigyeon Tourist Site) ▲Yeongwol (Jangneung Royal Tomb, Cheongnyeongpo) ▲Yeonggwang (Bulgapsa Tourist Site, Bulgap Reservoir Waterfront Park).
The selected tourist sites will undergo renovation and repair after customized on-site consulting by experts certified in 'Barrier-Free Living Environment' and finalizing detailed improvement plans. Travel infrastructure such as ramps, level differences, ticket booths, and walkways will be improved, and experiential tourism content tailored to different types of disabilities will also be developed.
2023 Selected Open Tourism Sites (2) - Yeonggwang Bulgapsa Tourist Site. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization
Additionally, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization will develop travel programs centered on already established open tourism sites and conduct sharing travel projects that provide direct travel experiences to vulnerable tourists such as people with disabilities. Based on routes with secured mobility convenience within open tourism sites, online and offline promotions will be strengthened, and by linking with a barrier-free tourism information platform, users will be able to access tourism information more easily and conveniently.
Park Insik, head of the Tourism Welfare Center at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "To create equal tourism activity conditions for all citizens, we will improve not only physical facilities but also all aspects necessary for barrier-free tourism such as information, services, and content, and we will cooperate with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and local governments for successful project implementation."
A Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official stated, "We will continue to promote the project in cooperation with local governments and the private sector to establish 'vulnerable-friendly' tourism conditions that allow all citizens to travel conveniently and safely, covering not only tourism facilities but also all environments necessary for travel."
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