Sancheong-gun Selected for Rural Creativtour Contest

Accelerating Rural Tourism Revitalization Including Development of Rural Tourism Models

Sancheong-gun, Gyeongnam, has been selected for the Rural Creative Tour contest project, accelerating the revitalization of rural tourism.

According to Sancheong-gun on the 11th, it secured 125 million KRW in national funding by being selected for the "2025 Rural Creative Tour Support Contest Project" hosted by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

This project was prepared to develop a rural tourism model that preserves rural identity and leads trends. It also promotes rural tourism revitalization by linking local tourism resources, festivals, and rural resources based on the creativity of travel experts.

Photo of foot bath experience at Namsa Yedamchon, Sancheong-gun.

Sancheong-gun plans to implement the project by investing a total of 250 million KRW (including 125 million KRW in national funding) through the launch of the "Sancheonghanbang 愛 Rural Creative Tour Council," composed of rural tourism organizations (such as rural experience and recreation villages) and professional travel agencies.

In particular, under the brand "Korea Healing Travel ‘Sancheonghanbang 愛’," which utilizes "Hanbang" (traditional Korean medicine), the core keyword of Sancheong-gun, the center of healing, three themes with five programs will be operated: ▲ Hanbang (K-Medical) Travel (K-Medical in Sancheong) ▲ Hanbang-included (Kick) Travel (Stress Zero! Kick in Sancheong, Trekking Detox in Sancheong, Festival in Sancheong) ▲ Hanbang All-Inclusive Travel (Mind Recharge in Sancheong).

The programs will be conducted by linking wellness resources such as Donguibogam Village, the largest complex Hanbang leisure tourism site in Korea, local festivals including the government-designated honorary cultural tourism festival Sancheong Hanbang Herbal Festival, and rural tourism resources such as rural experience villages.

Moreover, Sancheong-gun plans to focus on attracting tourists and revitalizing stay-type rural tourism by developing unique rural tourism programs using regional brand power that produced former Vietnam national football team coach Park Hang-seo, Jirisan National Park (the first national park in Korea), Daewonsa Valley Trail, known as the best foot bath spot in South Korea, and the Duryu Ecological Exploration Trail for the middle class.

County Governor Lee Seunghwa said, "This project is expected to serve as a catalyst for the influx of urban residents and living population next year when rural stay-type rest areas are introduced," adding, "We will inject new vitality into rural tourism through successful program operation and make the 2025 Sancheong Visit Year even more abundant."