Cheongsong-gun, Realizing a Win-Win Economy with Smiles through Cultural Tourism

Cheongsong-gun, Gyeongbuk Province, is promoting various tourism policy projects this year to create a "Resident-Participatory Ecotourism City, Oxygen Cafe Cheongsong-gun."

Due to the influence of contactless lifestyle culture, one of the biggest changes brought by COVID-19, tourists increasingly prefer small-scale hidden places and open outdoor spaces rather than crowded areas or enclosed spaces. There is also a marked tendency to favor travel destinations that are not overcrowded over previously famous tourist spots.

In response to these changing tourism demands, Cheongsong-gun plans to revitalize the local economy by increasing participation of local businesses and creating more jobs for residents while developing an ecotourism city.

Cheongsong-gun, Realizing a Win-Win Economy with Smiles through Cultural Tourism - Bird's-eye View of the Forest Leisure Sports Resort Development Project.

In particular, by integrating the differentiated clean nature of "Oxygen Cafe Cheongsong-gun," its historic traditional culture, and fresh and diverse cultural tourism content, the county has devised a strategy to prepare for the post-COVID era and establish a new standard for local tourism that meets the demand for non-face-to-face tourism.

First, through the Cheongsong Forest Leisure Sports Resort development project, they plan to revitalize Cheongsong tourism by creating a resort complex equipped with a public golf course, clubhouse, and golf village facilities that add fun to Cheongsong’s natural environment.

Additionally, projects such as the revitalization of Deokcheon Village Hanok Stay, Jusanji tourist site, and Baekseoktan tourism resource development will be promoted to expand the scope of Cheongsong-style tourism, creating tourist destinations worthy of the reputation of International Slow City Cheongsong and the UNESCO Global Geopark.

Cheongsong boasts a pristine natural environment with beautiful landscapes formed by various geological phenomena, well preserved to the extent of being certified as a UNESCO Global Geopark. This year, plans include restoring the Jusanji king willow trees and creating a premium birch forest near the Cheongsong Garden, which has established itself as a new tourist attraction.

Furthermore, tourism activation will be driven by utilizing the "Cheongsong Apple Festival," designated by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a representative festival of Korea.

The 17th Cheongsong Apple Festival to be held this year will enhance the brand value of Cheongsong apples by incorporating new program developments and unique features of the festival, preparing the best apple festival befitting Korea’s representative festival.

Governor Yoon Kyung-hee stated, “We will do our best to create Korea’s best cultural tourism city where sights, activities, and food coexist, blending even the breath of people, and to increase jobs for local residents to achieve practical regional economic revitalization through tourism.”