Pledging a Major Transformation in Tourism Services Through a Public Address
Emphasizing High-Quality Tourism in Jeollanam-do and Calling for Industry Participation
Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Youngrok is delivering a public address for a "Tourism Service Transformation" at the provincial government briefing room on the morning of the 12th. Provided by Jeonnam Province
On August 12, Jeollanam-do Governor Kim Youngrok apologized to residents and tourists for the recent series of incidents involving unkind service at restaurants, the reuse of leftover food, and hygiene issues at lodging establishments. He also pledged, "We will launch a comprehensive transformation of tourism services, with hygiene, kindness, and reasonable prices as the foundation."
That morning, at the provincial government briefing room, Governor Kim delivered a public address outlining the direction for improving the local tourism sector. His proposals included strengthening hygiene management at restaurants and lodging facilities and establishing a system to resolve visitor inconveniences.
In his address, Governor Kim stated, "With the era of 100 million tourists approaching, Jeollanam-do will host a series of large-scale international events this year and next. As a result, the number of domestic and international visitors to Jeollanam-do is expected to exceed five million." He emphasized, "Now is the time to further elevate the quality of tourism in Jeollanam-do."
He continued, "Both residents and the tourism industry must participate together," and announced three key strategies for transforming tourism services based on hygiene, kindness, and reasonable prices: significantly strengthening hygiene management at restaurants and lodging establishments, establishing a culture of sincere hospitality, and building a system to resolve tourist inconveniences.
For each strategy, the province will: designate "specialized zones" centered on hygiene-certified establishments and create "Safe Food Zones"; distribute aprons promoting kindness to workers at 29,000 restaurants; provide hygiene consulting for elderly self-employed business owners; strictly prohibit the reuse of leftovers; and expand the number of "Excellent Lodging Cleanliness Certifications" to 1,000 locations.
To establish a culture of kindness and a reasonable pricing system, the province will: increase the number of restaurants where solo dining is possible and supply 1,000 single-person tables; expand the pre-notification pricing system and the number of "Good Price" establishments (adding 50 to the existing 548) and conduct thorough inspections; manage a database of establishments with complaints about unkind service, conduct special hygiene inspections, impose penalties for violations, and suspend support in cases of serious infractions.
To build a system for resolving tourist inconveniences, the province will: expand the operation of over 200 tourist information centers as "Jeonnam Tourism Safety Centers"; introduce a complaint submission system to the "JN TOUR" app; and operate a "main complaint hotline" and other rapid complaint reception and processing systems.
Governor Kim stated, "Administrative efforts alone are not enough," and called on tourism industry workers to practice hygiene, kindness, and reasonable pricing, while urging residents to warmly welcome tourists and to promptly report any establishments found to be unkind or overcharging.
Starting with the Jeonnam International Ink Biennale at the end of August, Jeollanam-do plans to thoroughly prepare for a series of large-scale international events, including the Namdo International Gastronomy Industry Expo in October, the LPGA BMW Golf Tournament, and the International Agricultural Expo, with the aim of realizing "a cleaner, kinder, and more trusted, high-quality tourism destination in Jeollanam-do."
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