"Half-Price Again This Year~" Gangjin Half-Price Travel Applications Open from the 19th

Nation’s First Travel Expense Refund Policy
148 Billion Won in Local Spending Last Year

"Will there be half-price travel again this year? When does it start? I missed the application last year, but this time I really want to go."

Since the end of last year, the Culture and Tourism Division of Gangjin County has been receiving dozens of inquiries every day. These calls are asking when the highly popular "Gangjin Half-Price Travel" program will resume.

On January 14, Gangjin County announced that advance applications for the 2026 "Gangjin Half-Price Travel" program will begin on January 19. Applications can be submitted through the official Gangjin Half-Price Travel website.

At a restaurant in Gangjin County, office workers are eating together, sharing a table full of traditional Korean set meals. Provided by Gangjin County

The Gangjin Half-Price Travel program is the nation’s first tourism refund policy, returning half of the travel expenses spent in Gangjin to tourists. Individual applicants can receive up to 100,000 won, while teams of two or more can receive up to 200,000 won in the form of mobile Gangjin Love Gift Certificates.

Tourists wishing to participate must apply in advance on the website with their ID by the day before their trip. Within one day after applying, applicants will receive the review results and a membership number via KakaoTalk notification. Approved applicants can then travel to Gangjin within the designated period. Within seven days after the trip, they must submit a settlement application with photos proving visits to at least two Gangjin tourist attractions and receipts for their spending. The refund will be issued as a mobile gift certificate within three days of approval.

The Gangjin Half-Price Travel program has produced tangible results since its first year. In 2024, a total of 15,291 teams participated, spending 4.7 billion won, and of the 2.2 billion won in support funds, 1.9 billion won was re-spent locally, generating a total local consumption effect of 6.6 billion won.

Last year, applications were so popular that the budget was exhausted early, with 39,066 teams visiting Gangjin and spending a total of 10.6 billion won. Of the 4.9 billion won in support funds, 4.2 billion won was re-spent within the region, bringing the final consumption total to 14.8 billion won. This represents an increase of more than 2.3 times compared to the previous year.

These achievements have spread to the central government. The Gangjin Half-Price Travel program was highlighted by the President during a Cabinet meeting and, starting this year, is being expanded as a national policy under the name "Regional Love Vacation Program." It has also been recognized as an innovative case in the tourism sector, earning the "Star of Korean Tourism" award.

According to the Korea Tourism Data Lab, the number of visitors to Gangjin has continued to grow since the implementation of the half-price travel program, reaching 5.77 million in 2024 and 6.02 million in 2025. With improved accessibility thanks to the opening of Gangjin Station last September, Gangjin County is aiming to attract 7 million visitors this year by leveraging the synergy with the half-price travel policy.

Gang Jinwon, the county governor, said, "I hope people can enjoy the charm of Gangjin in winter without financial burden through the half-price travel program," adding, "We will ensure that the increase in tourists leads to a virtuous cycle of local consumption."