"Combining the Strengths of Both Regions...
Establishing a Model for Marine Tourism"
The Organizing Committee for the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo signed a business agreement with Namhae County on the afternoon of the 17th at the Sono Calm Yeosu Lily Hall to ensure the successful hosting of the expo and to promote island and marine tourism. Photo by Yeosu City
The Organizing Committee for the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo (hereinafter referred to as the Organizing Committee) and Namhae County in South Gyeongsang Province have joined hands to raise global awareness about the value of islands and oceans, and to jointly seek a sustainable future for marine tourism.
The Organizing Committee and Namhae County signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) at 5 p.m. on the 17th at the Lily Hall of Sono Calm Hotel in Yeosu to ensure the successful hosting of the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo. The agreement was promoted with the goal of jointly developing island and marine tourism resources in the southern coastal region and fostering win-win cooperation between the regions.
The signing ceremony was attended by Jeong Kimyeong, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee (Mayor of Yeosu), and Jang Chungnam, Governor of Namhae County, as well as officials from both local governments. The two organizations agreed to cooperate in various areas, including the promotion of island and marine tourism, operation of a local government pavilion at the Islands Expo, participation in cultural and artistic performances, and joint responses and tourism resource linkage following the opening of the Yeosu-Namhae undersea tunnel.
In particular, the Yeosu-Namhae undersea tunnel, scheduled to open next year, is expected to serve as a gateway that physically connects the two regions, playing a significant role in revitalizing tourism and the local economy. Accordingly, both sides plan to develop joint tourism courses and link local specialty products and festival content, as well as discover and foster a joint brand in the cultural industry sector.
Jeong Kimyeong, Chairperson of the Organizing Committee, stated, "Namhae is a valuable partner that shares marine ecological resources with Yeosu," and added, "Through this agreement, I hope both regions can combine their strengths to establish a world-class model for marine tourism."
Jang Chungnam, Governor of Namhae County, said, "I hope the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo will become a turning point in raising global awareness of the value of islands and the sea, and Namhae County will actively cooperate to ensure the successful hosting of the expo."
Meanwhile, the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo, under the theme "Islands, Connecting the Sea and the Future," is scheduled to be held for two months from September 5 to November 4 next year at Dolsan Jinmo District, Gaedo, Geumo Island, and the Yeosu World Expo site in Yeosu City.
The expo is expected to establish itself as an international event that envisions a sustainable future for islands and oceans around the world and presents new directions for marine tourism.
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