Gangwon Rises as a Premier Wellness Tourism Destination

Gangwon Province Selected for Ministry of Culture’s 'Wellness Tourism Cluster'

Pyeongchang’s Samyang Roundhill Newly Designated, Securing 1.3 Billion Won in National Funding

Strengthening Promotional Marketing Through Collaboration with Global OTAs and Designated Travel Agencies

Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province (Governor Kim Jin-tae) has once again demonstrated its competitiveness as a leading wellness tourism destination in South Korea. After being selected for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s “Wellness Tourism Cluster” public project, Pyeongchang’s Samyang Roundhill has been newly designated as a “2026 Excellent Wellness Tourism Site” by the Korea Tourism Organization.

Samyang Roundhill. Provided by Gangwon Province

Previously, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism selected Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province for its “Activation of Wellness Tourism Cluster” contest, which aims to foster high value-added tourism by linking the region’s specialized wellness resources and tourism industry. As a result, the province will receive a total of approximately 1.3 billion won in national funding over the next three years starting in 2026.

Under the brand “Wellever (Wellness Gangwon: a place anyone wants to visit anytime, anywhere),” the province plans to actively pursue projects in three areas—resource discovery, infrastructure building, and promotional marketing—focused on “sleep wellness tourism,” in partnership with four cities and counties (Wonju, Pyeongchang, Jeongseon, and Yangyang).

Notably, Gangwon has continuously promoted the “Wellness Tourism Cluster Project” for six years since 2020. Over the past three years, the project attracted a total of 1.17 million wellness tourists, resulting in significant economic ripple effects: a production inducement effect of 6.11 billion won, employment inducement for 582 people, and value-added inducement of 3.09 billion won.

In addition, Pyeongchang’s Samyang Roundhill has newly been listed as a nature healing-themed destination among the “2026 Excellent Wellness Tourism Sites” selected by the Korea Tourism Organization (four sites nationwide). With this, Gangwon maintains its status as the region with the largest number of excellent wellness tourism destinations in the country—14 out of a total of 88.

Pyeongchang’s Samyang Roundhill offers both healing and relaxation in its vast grasslands and pristine natural environment atop the Baekdudaegan mountain range at an elevation of 1,000 meters. The destination provides differentiated experiences through a variety of nature healing programs. Its easy access to nearby resorts and tourist attractions is also considered a key strength, and these factors are credited for its selection as an “Excellent Wellness Tourism Site.”

Gangwon Province plans to link the “Wellness Tourism Cluster” project with its 14 excellent wellness tourism sites and to cooperate with the four cluster cities and counties, local wellness facility operators, Gangwon Economic Promotion Agency, and Gangwon Tourism Organization. The goal is to attract more foreign tourists and develop extended-stay tourism content, further establishing Gangwon as South Korea’s premier wellness tourism hub.

Kim Dongjun, Director of Tourism Policy at Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, stated, “We will establish an extended-stay tourism model for physical and mental recovery through ‘Gangwon-style sleep wellness tourism’ based on Gangwon’s pristine nature and healing resources,” adding, “We aim to foster Gangwon as a wellness tourism center that anyone would want to visit anytime, anywhere.”

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