"Taking Welfare Trips with the Underprivileged"... Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation Targets Disabled, Multicultural Families, and Elderly Living Alone

Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation (President Kim Nam-il) announced on the 4th that it is promoting customized welfare travel for vulnerable tourism groups in the northern Gyeongbuk region as part of the tourism hub city development project.

The welfare travel targets people with developmental disabilities, physical disabilities, low-income families, single-parent families, multicultural families, elderly living alone, and foreign workers in 11 cities and counties in the northern Gyeongbuk area. It is scheduled to be held more than 12 times with 25 participants per session, and the program is designed to be customized according to the characteristics of the participants.

Residents from marginalized groups who embarked on a welfare trip with the Gyeongbuk Cultural Tourism Corporation are taking a commemorative photo in front of the Andong Hahoe Mask Museum.

The program is operated with tailored activities for each group, including Korean cultural experiences for multicultural families and foreign workers, employment competency enhancement education for single-parent families and low-income groups, and wellness-themed experiences for people with disabilities and elderly living alone.

In particular, the program is conducted in a way that involves mutual visits between Andong City and 10 other cities and counties in the northern Gyeongbuk region, which is expected to help promote cultural exchange between regions.

All travel programs are conducted over a 2-day, 1-night schedule and must include visits to major tourist facilities, including World Cultural Heritage sites. Participants can engage in various activities such as cultural and tourism facility tours, lectures, and various experiential programs.

Key programs include apple picking and apple jam making experiences with specialty products from Yeongju County for multicultural families in Andong City, K-culture theme park tours, and traditional tea ceremony experiences. For low-income groups in Andong City, the programs include Uljin coastal sky rail experience, Wangpicheon cable car experience, and Geumgang Pine healing programs.

Through this welfare travel, participants are expected to gain new experiences and memories and enhance their understanding of local culture.

President Kim Nam-il stated, "Through this welfare travel project, we will provide high-quality tourism opportunities to marginalized groups and enhance the brand value of Andong City as a tourism hub city," adding, "With a program structure encompassing the entire northern Gyeongbuk region, it will also contribute to regional mutual development."