Gangwon Tourism Foundation Transforms Mining Regions into Leisure and Stay-Based Destinations

Gangwon Tourism Foundation Successfully Concludes Leisure 4-Challenge
New Momentum for Tourism in Mining Regions with 2.4 Billion KRW in Sales
Tangible Impact Achieved Through 'Leisure Log:In' Curated Exhibition

The Gangwon Tourism Foundation (CEO Choi Sunghyun) announced on December 22 that the 'Gangwon Leisure 4-Challenge,' held primarily in the southern mining regions of Gangwon (Taebaek, Samcheok, Yeongwol, and Jeongseon), concluded successfully, achieving tangible results in revitalizing tourism in these areas.

Popup store site. Provided by Gangwon Tourism Foundation

This initiative focused on shifting the tourism paradigm from simple visits to 'stay-based travel.' In particular, the curated exhibition of the stay-type travel product 'Leisure Log:In' provided an opportunity to change perceptions of the mining regions from one-time destinations to places for direct experiences and extended stays.

As a result of this exhibition, 6,801 curated packages including travel products were sold through Gmarket, generating 1.33793 billion KRW in sales, while 40,158 leisure products and local specialties were sold, totaling 1.07674 billion KRW. The popup store event held simultaneously in the Seoul metropolitan area also stood out. The popup store, which took place at Starfield Hanam from August 1 to 3, offered visitors the chance to directly experience major leisure content from the mining regions and increased pre-visit engagement through events such as accommodation voucher giveaways.

Based on these achievements, the regions of Taebaek, Samcheok, Yeongwol, and Jeongseon have shifted their image from industrial cities to stay-based destinations centered on nature, leisure, and hands-on experiences. This has provided real momentum for local economic recovery, as evidenced by increased use of local accommodations, restaurants, and tourist facilities.

Choi Sunghyun, CEO of the Gangwon Tourism Foundation, stated, "We will establish this initiative not as a one-off event, but as a leading long-term tourism product for the mining regions," adding, "We will continue to focus on enhancing content and developing products so that the mining regions can continue to grow as destinations centered on nature, leisure, and experiential tourism."