Tourism Startups to Receive 50 Million Won Each... Recruiting 14 BETTER-RI Projects in Gimje and Gangjin

Korea Tourism Organization Invites Tourism Startups to Join Pilot Project in Areas with Declining Populations

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 11th that they will recruit tourism startups to participate in the "2026 BETTER-RI" pilot project, which aims to revitalize regions experiencing population decline, through March 4.

Participants taking part in "Joseon Astronomer's Star Stories" at Yurok Village in Bonghwa, North Gyeongsang Province, conducted by Local & Life in 2024. Photo by Korea Tourism Organization

"BETTER-RI" is a project designed to increase the daily living population in local areas and thereby stimulate local economies. This year, the selected target regions are Gimje in North Jeolla Special Self-Governing Province and Gangjin County in South Jeolla Province. The organization plans to select a total of 14 tourism-related companies across the two regions.

Gimje City is seeking ideas for stay-type tourism under the theme of "Pyeongya-ro-um (Charm of the Plains)." Key tasks include developing bicycle travel content that makes use of the vast horizon, creating tourism products linked to modern national heritage, building an integrated village hotel operation platform that connects vacant houses and commercial properties, establishing a "J-Riding (Juksan Riding) Belt" using electric bicycles, and proposing practical ways to utilize idle spaces.

Gangjin County will focus on the theme "Wise Exile Life." It plans to discover experiential content and local consumption-based business models that encourage visitors to stay and spend, by linking village hotel infrastructure using vacant houses with the region's historical and cultural assets such as Jeolla Byeongyeongseong Fortress and the story of Hendrick Hamel's drift.

Eligible applicants are tourism-related companies founded within the last seven years. Each selected company will receive 50 million won in proof-of-concept (PoC) funding, along with follow-up growth programs such as expert consulting, investor networking, publicity support, and market development. Companies wishing to participate can apply through the Korea Tourism Industry Portal "Touraz."

Lee Younggeun, Head of Tourism Corporate Support at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "The BETTER-RI project is a model that injects new vitality into local areas through the innovative capabilities of startups," adding, "We will actively support Gimje and Gangjin so that their potential can meet creative ideas and help them establish themselves as destinations where people want to stay."

Last year, the Korea Tourism Organization carried out the same project in Gapyeong County in Gyeonggi Province and Muju County in North Jeolla Province, where it tested tourism products utilizing local resources together with 14 companies, achieving results of approximately 5,000 visitors.

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