Hwangmaesan, Famous for Azaleas, Now Wheelchair Accessible... Accessible Tourism Destinations Nationwide Surpass 200

Korea Tourism Organization Hosts Inclusive Trip for People with Disabilities and the Elderly
Support Provided with Nanum Cart and Special Lift Vehicles

The Korea Tourism Organization announced on the 23rd that, in celebration of Open Travel Week, it held a Nanum Travel event and a completion ceremony at Hwangmaesan County Park in Hapcheon, Gyeongsangnam-do, together with members of tourism-vulnerable groups.

Scene of the Nanum Travel Group using a wheelchair-specialized lift vehicle. Korea Tourism Organization

The newly completed Hwangmaesan County Park is notable for its creation of barrier-free walking paths and deck trails, allowing wheelchair users and the elderly to reach the azalea colony near the summit, despite its mountainous terrain.

The organization explained that it eliminated level differences at the summit parking lot rest area, improved restrooms for people with disabilities, and set up an assistive device rental center as well as the "Nanum Cart," which accommodates wheelchair boarding. As a result, Hwangmaesan County Park, together with the nearby Tripitaka Koreana Theme Park and Hapcheon Image Theme Park, has been developed into a major barrier-free tourism hub in the Gyeongnam region.

On the day of the event, more than 50 people, including people with disabilities, the elderly, and members of the Nanum Travel Group living in Hapcheon County, participated as special guests. The participants enjoyed an open-mic performance from JTBC's "Begin Again" with the fully bloomed azalea colony as a backdrop.

Hapcheon County provided the Nanum Cart to facilitate participant mobility, while Ulsan Metropolitan City offered a special lift vehicle for wheelchairs. Scenes from the event will be released via JTBC and its YouTube channel in May.

Park Jeong-ung, Head of the Public Tourism Division at the Korea Tourism Organization, said, "I hope the azaleas of Hwangmaesan and beautiful music will remain an unforgettable spring present for the Nanum Travel Group," adding, "We will continue to discover and implement various linked initiatives that the tourism-vulnerable can experience, making Korea a leading barrier-free tourism destination."

Meanwhile, the Accessible Tourism Destination Development Project aims to comprehensively improve tourism infrastructure so that all tourists, including people with disabilities, the elderly, and families traveling with young children, can travel without mobility inconveniences. The project supports experience content, information systems, and staff education. Since 2015, 20 to 30 sites have been developed each year, and as of this year, the number of accessible tourism destinations nationwide has surpassed 200.

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