"Stop Regional Extinction with Innovative Items"…Korea Tourism Organization's 'BETTER里' Project

'Sustainable Stay' Program Conducted for 6 Weeks in Yeongju, Gyeongbuk

The Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 5th that it will promote the '2023 BETTER里' demonstration project, an innovative startup item aimed at solving the crisis of regional extinction.

Night view panorama of Seonbi Sesang in Yeongju-si, Gyeongbuk.
[Photo by Gyeongsangbuk-do]

This project was planned to increase the living population in depopulated areas to revitalize the region and stimulate the economy. It will be conducted over six weeks in the Yeongju area of Gyeongbuk Province under the theme of 'Sustainable Stay.'

Yeongju has various tourist resources such as Sobaeksan Mountain, Buseoksa Temple, Hanwoo beef, and apples, but due to a lack of accommodation and transportation infrastructure, stay-type tourism has not developed. Through this project, the organization aims to increase the revisit rate and length of stay of tourists in Yeongju.

Interested companies can participate in an online briefing session on the 6th through pre-registration, download the application form from the Korea Tourism Industry Portal 'Touraz,' and submit the application form and supporting documents via email by 6 p.m. on the 19th.

The types of startups being recruited include ▲'Accommodation Services' that provide new lodging experiences to tourists by utilizing local idle resources ▲'Circular Economy Solutions' that minimize environmental impact by reducing carbon footprints and recycling resources ▲'Local Business Linkage' that revitalizes the economy by connecting with local resources or businesses.

The organization will select up to eight startups and provide opportunities such as commercialization support funds up to 30 million KRW and participation in the Blue Point accelerating program. Blue Point is a startup planning company that has been working to solve population issues, including hosting a population forum in February under the theme 'Startups as a Key to Solving Population Problems.'

Jung Yong-an, head of the Tourism Enterprise Startup Team at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "To address the national crisis of regional extinction, we will not limit participation to tourism but actively utilize programs from private specialized investment operators. We will seek to expand the scope of the tourism industry through bold attempts and find models that can revitalize tourism in depopulated areas."

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