Best Booth Operation Among 210 Local Governments
Proving Its Status as a Tourism City,
From Baekje Heritage to the Winter Roasted Chestnut Festival
Gongju City in South Chungcheong Province announced on July 21 that it received the "Best Booth Operation Award" among domestic local governments at the "10th Korea International Tourism Fair," which was held at KINTEX in Ilsan from July 18 to July 21. With this achievement, the city once again proved the excellence and competitiveness of its tourism sector.
This fair is the largest international tourism exhibition in Korea, featuring more than 210 organizations and local governments from across the country, operating over 450 booths and presenting a wide range of content.
The city stood out by highlighting various themes, including UNESCO World Heritage sites, four-season festivals, and night tourism.
In particular, ahead of the "Visit Gongju Year" in 2025-2026, the city focused on promoting its core tourism resources such as Gongsanseong Fortress, the Tomb of King Muryeong, and Seokjangni Prehistoric Site. Customized tourism content, including historical and cultural tours, nature healing courses, traditional markets, and local specialties, also received a strong response.
In addition to the schedules of four-season festivals such as the "Winter Gongju Roasted Chestnut Festival," "Seokjangni Paleolithic Festival," and "Baekje Cultural Festival," night programs linked to the city's project to develop a specialized night tourism city also attracted attention and drew many visitors.
Events such as the "Gongju City History Quiz Show" and "Beat the King," which maximized visitor participation, provided both fun and information. Local specialty prizes such as Gongju chestnuts, Gomanaru rice, and chestnut soap were recognized as a successful model connecting tourism with the local economy.
The Gongju mascots, "Gomagom and Gongju," also became popular stars at the fair, encouraging MZ generation visitors to take and share photos on social media.
Mayor Choi Woncheol stated, "This award is the result of comprehensive recognition of the cultural depth, emotional appeal, and practical attractiveness of Gongju tourism," and added, "We will continue to discover content that embodies Gongju's identity and spare no policy support to help the city grow as a sustainable tourism destination."
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