Expanding Stay-Type Tourism with Night Fishing and Festivals
574,000 Visitors in 8 Days Since Opening... Economic Impact Anticipated
The second week of the 2026 Ice Nation Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival continues to draw large crowds over the weekend, maintaining its strong popularity.
According to Yonhap News Agency on January 18, the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival in Hwacheon County, Gangwon Province, has attracted a cumulative total of approximately 574,000 visitors between its opening on January 10 and January 17. From early morning, families, couples, and groups of friends have lined up to participate in ice fishing.
In particular, the Seondeung Street Festival, held every Saturday, and the night fishing program have extended tourists’ stays and invigorated the local downtown economy. This year’s Seondeung Street Festival features enhanced performances, shows, exhibitions, food trucks, and interactive content. At the event held the previous day, the “Real Santa Claus” from Rovaniemi, Finland, also made an appearance.
Night fishing is also a highly popular program. When the daytime ice fishing area closes at 6 p.m., a separate night fishing session begins at 7 p.m., attracting around 300 participants on weekdays and about 1,000 on weekends. As of January 17, the eighth day since opening, the cumulative number of night fishing participants reached 3,623. Of these, 2,334 people (about 64%) were counted as tourists who submitted receipts for local accommodations and enjoyed night fishing for free. This demonstrates that nighttime content is effectively boosting demand for lodging and local spending.
Safety measures have also been strengthened in response to the cold wave. Heaters have been installed throughout Seondeung Street, and Hwacheon County and the police have increased patrols and vehicle controls to address crowding and the risk of hypothermia.
Choi Moonsoon, Mayor of Hwacheon County, stated, “The Sancheoneo Festival is a winter playground filled with content to enjoy day and night, not just ice fishing. I hope families, couples, and friends will visit and experience the unique charms the festival offers both during the day and at night.”
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