Shinan-gun, UNWTO 'Best Tourism Village Selection' Commemorative Photo Exhibition

Residents of Banwol and Bakji Islands Celebrate... Exhibition Until January 31 Next Year

Purple Bridge on Banwoldo, Anjwa-myeon, Sinan-gun ⓒ Asia Economy

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Seo Young-seo] On the 23rd, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do announced that it held the opening ceremony of the ‘Purple People’ photo exhibition at the fishermen’s shelter gallery on Banwoldo Island, Anjwa-myeon, well known as ‘Purple Island.’

The event was attended by Park Woo-ryang, Mayor of Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do Council Agriculture, Fisheries and Livestock Committee Chairman Jeong Gwang-ho, Sinan-gun Council Chairman Kim Hyuk-seong, as well as heads of social organizations in Anjwa-myeon and residents of Purple Island.

The opening ceremony was conducted in compliance with COVID-19 quarantine guidelines, with thorough temperature checks and attendance limited to fewer than 49 people.

The photo exhibition commemorates the designation of Banwol and Bakji Islands as the ‘1st UN Best Tourism Village’ at the 24th United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) General Assembly held on the 2nd. About 40 works focusing on Purple Island residents, travelers, and island landscapes were displayed.

Jang Jong-eon, a Purple Island resident and head of Banwoldo, said, “The island culture that embodies the value of pristine nature, ecology, and folklore, along with the purple island village, has been officially recognized not only in Korea but also worldwide. The designation as the UNWTO Best Tourism Village is a great honor for the local community.”

Mayor Park Woo-ryang emphasized, “The Purple Island case, which created a purple island village through color marketing derived from the island’s ecology, natural environment, and vegetation, is the result of the unified efforts of local governments and island residents. We will strive to have the current target islands for the ‘Islands You Want to Visit’ project, such as Uido, Okdo, and Seondo, designated as the 2nd and 3rd Best Tourism Villages.”

The ‘1st UN Best Tourism Village’ selection project is a certification program that evaluates and recognizes villages worldwide that preserve and promote cultural heritage and pursue sustainable development through tourism. A total of 174 villages from 75 countries participated, with 44 villages selected.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.