Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism: "Go on a Spring Trip"... Benefits Provided to 500,000 People Including Travel Expense Discounts

Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to Offer Travel Expense Discounts to 500,000 People
Various Benefits and Events Planned to Revitalize Domestic Tourism

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to provide various benefits, including travel expense discounts, to about 500,000 citizens by May to revitalize domestic tourism.

On the 27th, the Ministry announced that it will vigorously promote the 'Traveling Spring Campaign' from March to May this year in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization.

This campaign was designed to invigorate the domestic tourism market and allow our citizens to enjoy domestic travel more pleasantly through various benefits and events. Minister Yoo In-chon of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism appointed broadcaster Kim Ah-young as the campaign ambassador at the launch ceremony of the 'Traveling Spring Campaign' held at High Ground in Jung-gu, Seoul, and announced the start of the campaign together with local governments, the Korea Tourism Organization, related agencies, and participating companies. The integrated slogan of this campaign, 'This Spring, Travel is Trendy, Regions are Popular!' conveys the meaning of increasing national travel demand through abundant domestic travel benefits and programs over the three spring months, activating interregional travel, and revitalizing the domestic economy and regional economies.

Last June, the Ministry conducted the 'Traveling Month' campaign for one month, resulting in 235 million people moving nationwide and travel expenditures reaching 13.54 trillion won. This year, aiming to increase both national mobility and travel expenditures by more than 1%, the Ministry will provide benefits such as travel expense discounts to about 500,000 people over three months.

First, the 'Traveling Month' campaign period has been moved up to March this year to offer abundant travel benefits through special discounts on accommodation, transportation, and travel products.

During March, 300,000 discount coupons worth 20,000 to 30,000 won for non-metropolitan area accommodations will be distributed to reduce lodging costs, and discounts of 30-50% will be offered on high-speed rail (KTX), tourist trains, youth Naeilro passes, rental cars, and other transportation to cut key domestic travel expenses. Special discount fairs for regional travel products will be held, and prices for regional travel products will be lowered through 50% discounts on the Worker Vacation Support Mall. Additionally, to activate interregional travel, abundant public participation events such as 'Travel-ro Color,' traveling from 10 regions nationwide to 20 small cities, and the online travel event 'Travel-ro Tto,' which provides regional travel vouchers usable in the second half of the year, will be held. Limited-time open tourist sites and newly opened tourist attractions during the spring period will also be promoted. The official website containing detailed information about the 'Traveling Month' campaign is scheduled to be launched on the 28th.

Furthermore, the 'Traveling Spring Campaign,' running from March to May, will offer 10 public participation travel programs each month under various themes, enabling people to travel more, longer, and deeper into regions.

In March, the 'My Country Travel Expo' will sell promotional travel products from across the country, a 'Double Happiness Temple Stay' will be offered for 30,000 won, and 'Travel Luck of the Month' will be launched, providing chances to win travel benefits worth 10,000 to 500,000 won in participating regions (including accommodation, experiences, food and beverage vouchers).

In April, the 'Korea Dulle-gil Walking Travel Week,' which connects about 4,500 km around the national territory, will be promoted to foster a nationwide walking travel atmosphere. This year, in collaboration with the National Health Insurance Service and the Korea Sports Promotion Foundation, those who complete the Korea Dulle-gil course will receive a 'Healthy Lifestyle Practice Support Fund' and 'Sports Activity Incentive Ttunton Money.' A bicycle free travel campaign involving nationwide bicycle clubs and enthusiasts will discover national cross-country courses, and the first-ever 'Open Travel Week' linked to Disability Day (April 20) will be held. During 'Open Travel Week,' barrier-free travel products for tourism-vulnerable groups will be comprehensively supported with special vehicles and professional personnel, and 'Sharing Travel' will be supported.

In May, a 'Marine Tourism Campaign' and 'Night Tourism Festa' will be held. During the 'Sea-going Month' in May, 79 coastal area accommodations will offer discounts of 20,000 to 30,000 won, and 30% discounts will be provided on marine leisure experience tickets such as yachting, surfing, and kayaking, along with special discounts on comprehensive (package) marine tourism products. The 'Night Tourism Festa,' held consecutively in 10 night tourism specialized cities (Incheon, Tongyeong, Busan, Daejeon, Gangneung, Jeonju, Jinju, Seongju, Gongju, Yeosu), will offer differentiated night tourism programs by city along with regional 'Candlelight Touring Performances.'

In addition to these monthly representative events, spring cultural tourism festival visit certification events and remote work (workation) discount benefits for private companies in collaboration with the Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry will also be prepared. In the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions, which experienced an airliner accident, special travel programs such as 'Namdo Local Gourmet Travel with Artist Heo Young-man' and 'Eco Rail Bicycle Travel' will be conducted to revitalize the region through tourism.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will launch a 'Tourism Service Quality Improvement Team' in April with about 100 citizens, including local university students, tourism industry workers, and experts, to provide high-quality domestic travel services. Prior to this, starting in March, the Ministry will work with local governments to focus on inspecting tourism inconveniences and tourist site safety to reduce citizens' tourism discomfort.

Moreover, alongside the 'Traveling Spring Campaign,' the Ministry will innovate mid- to long-term policies to support the tourism industry. The '2030 Tourism Leap Relay Forum' will be held to explore systematic transformation plans for tourism policies with the government, academia, and industry. In particular, mid- to long-term tourism policies tailored to the field demands of the tourism industry will be prepared, focusing on key tasks such as changes and expansion of the tourism industry, reform of tourism support projects, eradication of unfair practices, innovation of tourism organizations, innovation of regional tourism systems, and improvement of laws and regulations.

Minister Yoo In-chon of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said, "Through the Traveling Spring Campaign, I hope that your travels become even more special experiences and that regions overflow with vitality," adding, "The Ministry will continue to do its best to enhance citizens' travel satisfaction and activate regional tourism."