'Gangjin Half-Price Travel' Expanded from a Temporary Event to a Year-Round Initiative

Selected as Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Pilot Project, Secures 6 Billion Won Budget
Up to 50% Reimbursement of Expenses for Accommodation, Dining, and Specialty Products
First-Round Pre-Applications for Half-Price Travel Accepted Until May 31

Gangjin County in Jeonnam Province, which was the first in the country to launch a 'half-price travel' program, is expanding the initiative into a year-round system and is now establishing itself as a national model for stay-type tourism policies. The program partially reimburses expenses spent on accommodations, dining, and purchases of agricultural, marine, livestock, and forestry products through local currency. As the initiative has been adopted as a government pilot project, it is drawing attention as an example of simultaneously revitalizing local tourism and neighborhood businesses.

According to Gangjin County on May 11, the county has secured a total budget of 6 billion won for operating the half-price travel program this year. The budget is comprised of 3 billion won from county funds, 1 billion won from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Local Love Vacation Support Project, and 2 billion won from the Local Extinction Response Fund. As a result, the county has established the '365-Day Half-Price Travel' system, which operates year-round regardless of season or timing.

The Gangjin Half-Price Travel program is a stay-type tourism policy in which tourists are reimbursed up to 50% of their expenses spent in the region through mobile Gangjin Love Gift Certificates. This structure reduces the travel cost burden for tourists, while local businesses benefit from consumption circulating back into the community.

Last month, tourists were browsing dried seafood and marine products at the Malyang Noltosu Fish Market in Gangjin-gun, Jeollanam-do. Provided by Gangjin-gun.

The program is also generating tangible consumption effects. As of May 6 this year, the number of pre-approved applications for the half-price travel program had reached 21,924 teams. Among these, 13,785 teams actually visited Gangjin County, resulting in local spending totaling 4.19 billion won. The county provided mobile Gangjin Love Gift Certificates worth approximately 1.908 billion won as benefits. Of this amount, 680 million won was spent again within the local area, leading to a total consumption-inducing effect of 4.87 billion won, according to the county.

The Gangjin County model has also been expanded as a government policy. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization are implementing a pilot project called 'Local Love Vacation Support (Half-Price Travel)' with a total project budget of 6.5 billion won this year. Aimed at revitalizing tourism in rural and declining population areas, 16 local governments, including Gangjin County, were selected out of 84 regions nationwide.

The selected regions include Pyeongchang, Yeongwol, and Hoengseong in Gangwon Province; Jecheon in North Chungcheong Province; Gochang in North Jeolla Province; Gangjin, Yeonggwang, Haenam, Goheung, Wando, and Yeongam in South Jeolla Province; and Miryang, Hadong, Hapcheon, Geochang, and Namhae in South Gyeongsang Province.

Since last year, Gangjin County has been in discussions with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization to promote the policy as a national project. At the 10th National Tourism Strategy Meeting held at Seoul HiKR Ground in September last year, the Gangjin County Governor personally presented the results of the half-price travel policy.

President Lee Jaemyung has referenced the Gangjin case several times. During his presidential campaign last year, President Lee first mentioned the half-price travel policy during a visit to Gangjin. Later, at a Cabinet meeting in September of the same year, he remarked, "They said they return a certain percentage of the money spent in the local area as local currency, and it seems to be quite effective." He also emphasized the need for tourism policies tailored to local characteristics, saying, "There is a lot to see in Gangjin."

At the Expanded National Tourism Strategy Meeting in February this year, President Lee also stated, "We need to expand policies like Gangjin County's half-price travel, which reduce the burden of travel expenses and return the benefits to local small business owners."

Gangjin County is accepting first-round pre-applications for the half-price travel program until May 31. Starting next month, the county plans to fully implement the Local Love Vacation Support Project in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Under this project, general tourists will receive up to 50% reimbursement on travel expenses, while young people will be eligible for benefits of up to 70%.

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