Miryang, Population 90,000, Surpasses 100,000 "Tourism Residents" Thanks to "Half-Price Travel" Program

Minister Choi Hwee-young Inspects Yeongnamru and Miryang Eupseong Sites
Discusses Regional Tourism Solutions with Tourism Dure Officials

The city of Miryang, with a population of around 90,000, now has 100,000 "tourism residents." The "Half-Price Travel" program, which reimburses a portion of travel expenses through regional currency, is drawing visitors and expanding connections between locals and outside travelers.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Huibyung is conducting an on-site inspection of the 'Half-Price Travel' program through a hanbok experience at Yeongnamru in Miryang, Gyeongnam, on the 15th. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

On May 15, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwee-Young Choi visited Yeongnamru and Miryang Eupseong in Miryang, Gyeongnam Province, to inspect the operation of the "Half-Price Travel" program. Yeongnamru and Miryang Eupseong are designated certification destinations for the program by Miryang City. Minister Choi reviewed the visitor routes, guidance systems, and the process for tourists, checking the status of program operations on site.

The Half-Price Travel program reimburses part of the travel expenses for people visiting population-declining areas, paying them back in regional gift certificates or other forms of local currency. Miryang was one of the first regions to launch this initiative. According to the city, all advance applications for 2,000 people in April and 2,500 people in May were filled within just one day.

Lee Kyung-sook, head of the Tourism Promotion Division at Miryang City, said, "We started in April, and applications for 2,000 people in April and 2,500 in May were both completed within a day, showing how popular it is. Fast weekly reimbursement settlements, sending tourism maps by mail in advance so applicants can get to know Miryang before visiting, and organizing seasonal events all seem to have contributed to the early closures."

The positive effects observed on-site go beyond just the speed of applications. Miryang’s registered population fell below 100,000 last year, but the number of digital tourism resident cards issued in association with tourism policies such as the Half-Price Travel program has surpassed 100,000. The digital tourism resident card offers discounts linked to major attractions, including Sunshine Miryang Theme Park, Miryang Arirang Observatory, and Miryang Eoreumgol Cable Car.

Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hwee-young Choi is participating in a campaign to eradicate overcharging and promote friendly service at the Miryang Arirang Market in Gyeongnam on the 15th. Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Minister Choi stated on site, "The Half-Price Travel program appears to be much more effective than we expected. We will continue to explore ways to further expand it."

On the same day, Minister Choi also met with local Tourism Dure officials in Gyeongnam Province. Tourism Dure is a resident-led tourism policy that supports locals in creating and operating tourism businesses based on regional assets and stories. Miryang was selected as a target region for Tourism Dure support in 2024 and is now in the third year of the program.

During the roundtable, ways to support local youth and community-based businesses in sustaining their tourism operations were discussed. Tourism Dure PDs suggested that, in addition to software-oriented support, there is a need to consider hardware support—such as spaces and equipment—tailored to on-site circumstances.

Lee Jin-woo, a Tourism Dure PD from Hamyang County, said, "County-level regions have high proportions of elderly residents and small market sizes, but young people are shaping the future of these areas through tourism. If more community-based businesses benefit from Tourism Dure, it could help shift the focus of local industries more toward tourism."

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism plans to foster about 100 new youth-led businesses in non-metropolitan areas by utilizing the 3.1 billion won supplementary budget for Youth Tourism Dure, which was finalized in April. The ministry will also work to improve the system so that local youth can enter the tourism industry and community-based businesses can become self-sustaining.

Kang Jung-won, Director-General for Tourism Policy at the Ministry, said, "Given the challenges local youth face on the ground, it is important not only to maintain existing systems but also to adapt them to fit actual working conditions. We will continue to improve next year’s programs in this direction."

Minister Choi added, "Regional tourism is a key driver for revitalizing the domestic economy, which has been dampened by issues such as the Middle East conflict. We will thoroughly implement related policies, including expanding the Half-Price Travel program so that unique local cultures and tourism resources can attract visitors, and we will ensure that the voices from the field are reflected in our policies."

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