Tourism Promotion Act Amendment: 'Festival and Tourist Site Admission Fees → Local Love Gift Certificates'

Representative Lee Gae-ho's Proposal for Revitalizing Local Tourism and Economy

National Funding Needed for Institutional Activation... Law Amendment Underway

The Tourism Promotion Act, which allows festival and tourist site entrance fees to be refunded with local love gift certificates and the corresponding costs to be supported by local governments, has been partially amended to help revitalize local tourism and the economy.

According to the office of Lee Gae-ho (Democratic Party, Jeonnam Damyang, Hampyeong, Yeonggwang, Jangseong), the representative sponsor, the partial amendment bill of the 'Tourism Promotion Act' passed the National Assembly plenary session on September 21.

Lee Gae-ho (Democratic Party of Korea, Jeonnam Damyang·Hampyeong·Yeonggwang·Jangseong).

Recently, some regions such as Yeonggwang County's 'Yeonggwang Bulgapsan Sangsa Flower Festival,' Hampyeong County's 'Hampyeong Butterfly Festival,' and Muan County's 'Muan Hwangto Mudflat Land' have implemented projects that refund entrance fees with local love gift certificates.

This project reduces the cost burden for tourists visiting the area, revitalizes local tourism, and contributes to the activation of the local economy by increasing sales in surrounding commercial districts. Active support from the national government and local governments is necessary to expand this project.

Accordingly, in April, Representative Lee proposed a bill to activate the entrance fee refund project, stipulating that when entrance fees for facilities operated within festivals and tourist sites are refunded with local love gift certificates, the national and local governments shall support the corresponding costs. However, during the bill review process, the government expressed reluctance to provide national funding, so only local government support was confirmed.

Representative Lee stated, "I hope that the establishment of the entrance fee refund system will not only revitalize local tourism but also help local small business owners by revitalizing the depressed local alley markets, even if only a little." He added, "Since national funding is essential for this system to be activated, I will continue to pursue legislative amendments."