Gokseong, Gurye, Hadong, Gwangyang Declare the 'Seomjingang Region Integrated Tourism Era'

Enhancing Regional Vitality Centered on Local Governments, Promoting Integrated Tourism Belt Development

Mobile Stamp Tour, Linked Discounts at Tourist Attractions, etc.

Jeonnam Gokseong-gun (Governor Lee Sang-cheol), along with the four Seomjingang River region local governments of Gurye, Hadong, and Gwangyang, announced that they will hold the ‘Seomjingang Tourism Era Proclamation Ceremony’ at the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival site on the 10th.

The ‘Seomjingang Tourism Era’ is the nation’s first integrated tourism model independently achieved by the four local governments including Gokseong.

After suffering flood damage from the Seomjingang River in 2020, the four local governments turned the crisis into an opportunity and aimed for a new leap forward by signing a business agreement in February 2021 to establish an integrated Seomjingang tourism belt.

Since then, they have continuously worked to advance the four local governments into a single wide-area tourism zone by forming a working council and establishing a comprehensive plan that links the abundant natural resources of the Seomjingang River with regional tourism assets.

The four local governments aspire to open the full-fledged Seomjingang integrated tourism era, starting with the Gwangyang Maehwa Festival, Gurye Sansuyu Flower Festival, Hadong Cherry Blossom Festival, and Gokseong Rose Festival, which are the first spring flower festivals held after COVID-19.

The proclamation ceremony, held at the festival site of the first event, the ‘Gwangyang Maehwa Festival,’ will be attended by the mayors and governors of the four local governments, the chairpersons, as well as key guests including Kim Young-rok, Governor of Jeollanam-do, to support the launch of the Seomjingang integrated tourism era.

Starting with this proclamation ceremony, the four local governments will jointly promote their spring flower festivals and conduct a mobile stamp tour linked to the spring flower festivals in collaboration with the mobile healthcare app ‘Cashwalk.’

Participants in the Cashwalk Teamwork Challenge who visit at least four out of eight major tourist sites across the four local governments will receive a bonus cash point of 10,000 KRW, awarded to the first 1,000 participants. The first round runs from March 10 to April 21, and the second round from April 22 to June 4, with 500 participants rewarded per round on a first-come, first-served basis.

Additionally, a linked discount system will be operated for 13 major tourist sites managed by each local government, targeting both residents and tourists.

Residents of the four local governments can receive discounts by presenting an ID that verifies their address upon visiting.

Tourists can receive discounts by holding an admission ticket to one of the 13 sites and visiting another eligible site within 30 days.

The major tourist sites eligible for the linked discount system include ▲Gokseong Seomjingang Train Village, Amnok Sangsang School ▲Gurye Arboretum, Seomjingang Otter Ecology Park ▲Hadong Hinoki Cypress Natural Recreation Forest, Hadong Cable Car ▲Gwangyang Baegunsan Natural Recreation Forest Healing Forest, Baegunsan Natural Recreation Forest Wood Culture Experience Center, among a total of 13 locations.

A working council official stated, “The Seomjingang region possesses valuable ecological natural environments and diverse tourism resources, making it an excellent condition to promote regional linked tourism. We will develop the Seomjingang region into the best domestic and international waterfront tourism hub combining ecology, culture, and leisure. Furthermore, we will continue efforts to establish a ‘ㅗ’-shaped tourism belt connecting the entire Seomjingang region with the southern coast.”

Gokseong = Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Cha Jong-seon hss79@asiae.co.kr