Jeonnam Province Mobilizes to Secure Selection for "Regional Love Vacation Support" with 50% Travel Expense Reimbursement

20 Rural Areas with Declining Populations Selected
3 Billion Won in National Funding Provided; Applications Open Until January 30

Jeonnam Provincial Government Office Building Exterior

Jeonnam Province has decided to actively respond so that as many cities and counties as possible are selected for the government's pilot "Regional Love Vacation Support Project" this year, which aims to revitalize tourism in areas experiencing population decline.

The Regional Love Vacation Support Project is a system that reimburses 50% of travel expenses, up to 200,000 won, in local currency for tourists visiting rural areas with declining populations. A total of 20 local governments nationwide will be selected, each receiving 300 million won in national funding.

Jeonnam Province is accepting applications for the project from 16 population-declining areas in the region (excluding Mokpo, Yeosu, Suncheon, Naju, Gwangyang, and Muan) until January 30, using the successful "Half-Price Travel" case in Gangjin County as a model.

The province plans to increase the likelihood of selection by supporting the development of customized business plans that reflect the characteristics and conditions of each city and county, sharing best practices, providing preliminary consulting, and establishing a joint response system.

In particular, administrative and professional support will be strengthened to ensure the creation of effective business plans focused on stay-type tourism content, regionally specialized programs, and local market-linked consumption models.

Jeonnam Province intends to link this project with major tourism initiatives such as the 2026 Yeosu World Island Expo and the 2026 Jeonnam Year of Visiting Islands, in order to revitalize stay-type tourism and establish a virtuous cycle of increasing the resident population and revitalizing the local economy.

Oh Mikyung, Director of Tourism at Jeonnam Province, stated, "This project is expected to encourage tourists to revisit by reimbursing 50% of their travel expenses in local currency when they visit population-declining areas, thereby contributing to the expansion of the tourism-related resident population. We will respond strategically to ensure that as many Jeonnam local governments as possible are selected."