Establishment of "APEC Summit Memorial Hall"... Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation Launches Full-Scale POST-APEC Initiatives

Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation, led by President Kim Namil, held a meeting on January 21 in the main conference room at its headquarters to outline its "2026 Key Business Promotion Plan" and concretize this year's core initiatives. During this event, the corporation shared its blueprint to lead the "POST-APEC" era and transform into a global tourism hub. In particular, this year's management slogan was set as "NEXT, the Beginning of New Growth and Value Creation," reflecting the company's ambition to drive a new leap forward for Gyeongbuk tourism through key strategic initiatives.

First, the corporation will focus its capabilities on turning the achievements of the 2025 APEC Summit into future tourism assets. Specifically, it plans to establish an "APEC Summit Memorial Hall" within Gyeongju Expo Grand Park, replicating the summit venue-not just as an exhibition, but as a symbolic landmark that demonstrates Gyeongbuk's international stature.

Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation

At the same time, the corporation is accelerating the development of specialized products to attract high value-added tourists linked to the POST-APEC era. In particular, by developing and supporting specialized products utilizing the APEC legacy, the goal is to position Gyeongju as a global tourism destination recognized worldwide.

In the POST-APEC era, the corporation will also pioneer high value-added markets by launching "New Silk Road Marketing" targeting the Arab region and participating in the Arabian Travel Market (ATM) exhibition. In addition, the corporation plans to create a tourism boom for Gyeongbuk both domestically and internationally through road marketing linked to the proclamation ceremony for "2026 Visit Gyeongbuk Year" and by operating travel markets in major cities.

Efforts to expand the global network will also be strengthened by leveraging the "2026 Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) Annual Summit," which will be held in Pohang and Gyeongju for four days from May 11 to May 14. The corporation aims to use this event, which will gather tourism organizations and experts from around the world, as a springboard to dramatically expand its global tourism network and showcase the unrivaled competitiveness of Gyeongbuk's MICE industry on the world stage.

Bomun Tourism Complex in Gyeongju, known as Korea's top tourism destination, will undergo a major transformation into a stay-type tourism hub. The corporation is making all-out efforts to attract a branch of the "National Museum of Korean History Tourism History Hall," which will encapsulate 50 years of Korea's tourism industry and its future vision. As a national project included in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's "Cultural Korea 2035" plan, if the branch is secured, Bomun Complex is expected to become a historical platform with national-level tourism records and experiential functions, significantly enhancing its brand value.

Meanwhile, the "Skywalk and Observatory," which will become a new symbol of Bomun Complex, is a large-scale project worth approximately 30 billion won. This year, the corporation will begin basic planning services to secure project feasibility and initiate step-by-step procedures to obtain national funding.

The corporation is also accelerating the "Night Trail" project to vitalize nighttime tourism. By upgrading the nightscape lighting along the entire 9.5-kilometer walking trail around Bomun Lake, the aim is to create a safe and pleasant environment for tourists to enjoy evening strolls.

Additionally, a separate project will be launched to install an "LED Media Wall" utilizing the APEC legacy. This space, featuring media content symbolizing the 21 member countries, is expected to provide unique attractions exclusive to Bomun Complex and further strengthen its symbolism as a global tourism hub.

In October, the corporation will attract younger visitors through activity events such as the "2026 Bomun Night Run." Gyeongju Expo Grand Park will host a variety of year-round events, including a children's cartoon drawing contest, the 100th Anniversary Exhibition of Dongchun Circus, and the Silla & Arab Festival, creating a complex filled with attractions and activities.

Nam-il Kim, President of Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation (fourth from the left), is taking a commemorative photo celebrating the confirmation of hosting PATA.

The corporation is also dedicating its full capabilities to digital transformation and the discovery of new businesses as future growth engines. The corporation will introduce an AI platform into its internal work systems to revolutionize administrative productivity, and will regularly publish "AI-based Gyeongbuk Tourism Trend Issue Reports" based on precise analysis of tourism big data, sharing them with cities, counties, and related organizations within the province to set the standard for Gyeongbuk-style smart tourism.

Furthermore, to overcome regional limitations and maximize synergy, the corporation will significantly strengthen inter-regional cooperation systems. In particular, leveraging the common denominator of being APEC host cities, the corporation is considering introducing the "Gyeongbuk-Busan APEC Pass" (tentative name) and plans to expand a wide-area tourism belt in collaboration with nearby local governments such as North Chungcheong and North Jeolla Provinces. In addition, by operating the newly launched "Gyeongbuk Taste Road by Train," a gourmet travel product linked to the Donghae Line railway, the corporation aims to attract more railway tourists to Gyeongbuk.

Finally, the corporation will enhance support programs to foster innovative growth in the private sector. Through the "Gyeongbuk Tourism Startup" contest, the corporation will discover promising companies and support them with commercialization funds and popup store operations, striving to build a self-sustaining ecosystem. The "Gyeongbuk K-Tourism Comprehensive Academy" will nurture field-oriented talent and digital transformation experts, while the "Youth Internship Support Program" is designed to both alleviate recruitment difficulties for local tourism companies and create quality jobs.

President Kim Namil stated, "The year 2026 will be a critical turning point as Gyeongbuk transforms the legacy of APEC into future value and rises as a world-class tourism hub," adding, "We will mobilize all our capabilities to realize 'Gyeongbuk that people want to revisit and stay in,' powered by digital innovation and differentiated infrastructure."

Meanwhile, the corporation's management slogan for this year, "NEXT," embodies the core values of its four major strategies: △New Growth △ESG & Excellence △eXperience (Customer Value) △Tourism Legacy (Long-term Heritage). Building on this, the corporation plans to go beyond simply managing tourist sites and focus its efforts on creating sustainable tourism legacies for Gyeongbuk.