Gwangmyeong City Launches Three Key Strategies to Become a 'Sustainable Tourism City'

Presenting the 'Gwangmyeong Model' Based on Resident Participation:
Talent Development, Regional Branding, and Economic Revitalization

Gwangmyeong City in Gyeonggi Province is implementing three key strategies?'talent development,' 'regional branding,' and 'economic revitalization'?to become a 'sustainable tourism city' based on local resources and resident participation.

On July 23, the city held a final report meeting for the 'Sustainable Tourism Revitalization Study' in the main conference room at City Hall, where these strategies were established.

First, the city plans to utilize existing public resources such as the 'Gwangmyeong Lifelong Learning Center' and the 'Social Economy Center' to foster professional talent in the tourism sector. It will cultivate talent through tourism-related educational programs and planning competitions.

The city is also pursuing a 'regional branding' strategy involving both tourism professionals and the local community. To this end, it will develop village travel courses that highlight the unique characteristics of each area, including Cheolsan, Haan, Soha, Iljik, and Hakon. A citizen forum will also be operated to provide a foundation for local residents to participate in the development of village tourism content.

The city aims to strengthen the promotion of major policies and tourism resources to spread a positive perception of the region, while also working to revitalize the local economy through increased consumption and job creation.

At the report meeting, the development of a 'learncation' (a combination of learning and vacation), an educational tourism program that organically links the region's human and material resources, was also proposed. The city is also exploring ways to link sustainable tourism programs with local currency to encourage increased local spending.

Based on the results of the study, the city plans to establish detailed action plans and begin full-scale implementation of sustainable tourism revitalization policies starting next year.

Park Seungwon, Mayor of Gwangmyeong, stated, "Sustainable tourism development goes beyond simply revitalizing the local economy; it is a path to creating a society where everyone can be happy together by improving residents' quality of life and harmonizing community values." He added, "We will continue to build a systematic and substantial foundation so that we can be reborn as a sustainable tourism city."