Gyeongbuk Province Selected for Consecutive Tourism Project Competitions... Secures 9.6 Billion Won in National Funding

Published 12 Apr.2022 10:01(KST)

Updated 10 Aug.2025 12:09(KST)

Selected for 9 Government Tourism Project Competitions This Year

Gyeongbuk Provincial Government Office.

[Asia Economy Yeongnam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Dongguk Lee] Gyeongbuk Province has strategically responded to major public contest projects in the tourism sector this year, securing 9 projects including the Gyeongbuk Tourism Enterprise Support Center Construction Project, thereby obtaining 9.6 billion KRW in national funding.

This achievement can be seen as a result of proactive responses through the establishment of project plans that align with the government's core tourism policies, such as digitalization of tourism in the era of COVID-19 and the 4th Industrial Revolution, discovery and cultivation of non-face-to-face, healing, and safe tourism content, and activation of region-led tourism industries.

The major projects selected in this year's contests include the Gyeongbuk Tourism Enterprise Support Center Construction Project (5 billion KRW national funding), Smart Tourism City Development Project (3.5 billion KRW national funding), Aging Tourism Facility Regeneration Project (280 million KRW national funding), Industrial Tourism Promotion Project (150 million KRW national funding), Lifestyle Tourism Activation Project (100 million KRW national funding), Traditional Hanok Branding Project (250 million KRW national funding), Campground Safety and Hygiene Repair Project (150 million KRW national funding), Campground Fire Safety Assurance Project (90 million KRW national funding), and Campground Activation Program Project (50 million KRW national funding), totaling 9 projects.

The ‘Gyeongbuk Tourism Enterprise Support Center Construction Project’ aimed at activating region-led tourism industries is a project supported with a total of 5 billion KRW in national funding over five years until 2026, planned to be established in the central shopping district of Gyeongju city, which has the largest number of tourism businesses in the province.

The center will serve as a hub for Gyeongbuk's tourism industry by providing office space for local tourism companies, supporting the discovery and cultivation of region-based tourism startups, supporting innovative growth of traditional tourism companies, operating a tourism industry job hub, developing Gyeongbuk-style tourism content, and fostering tourism professionals.

Gyeongbuk Province envisions leading regional tourism activation and local economic revitalization by creating a sustainable tourism industry ecosystem through the Gyeongbuk Tourism Enterprise Support Center.

The ‘Smart Tourism City Development Project,’ a tourism project tailored to online and digital tourism trends, selected Hwangridan-gil in Gyeongju, which is rapidly emerging as the most visited tourist spot by people in their 20s and 30s, receiving 3.5 billion KRW in national funding this year.

This project aims to build an integrated platform where domestic and international travelers can easily obtain information on accommodations, transportation, food, and other tourist site details, make reservations and payments, and tourism operators can easily upload and manage products.

Through this, Gyeongju plans to revitalize tourism by renewing its image from a static sightseeing city to a smart tourism city.

The Aging Tourism Facility Regeneration Project selected ‘Invitation to Homigot, the Eastern End Village of the Korean Peninsula’ in Pohang, which will provide new attractions and enjoyable experiences to tourists by integrating cultural content into aging tourism facilities.

The Traditional Hanok Branding Project selected a total of 9 traditional houses, including 7 private houses and 2 village-level houses, and plans to promote stay-type tourism activation through various experience and performance programs such as traditional food, hanbok experience, gugak music concerts, and dance performances unique to Gyeongbuk.

Additionally, through public contest projects such as the Campground Safety and Hygiene Repair Project, Campground Fire Safety Assurance Project, and Campground Activation Program Project, Gyeongbuk aims to create a safe camping environment unique to the province and operate distinctive camping programs, encouraging the increasing number of campers to visit Gyeongbuk.

This year, Gyeongbuk Province plans to respond to the explosive increase in tourism demand in the post-COVID-19 daily recovery phase by establishing readiness for tourism accommodation, aiming to leap forward as a global tourism city as well as domestically.

Not satisfied with the selection in this public contest, Gyeongbuk plans to vigorously pursue securing more national funding in the second half of the year through meticulous preparation such as discovering new projects following the new government launch and developing response strategies for major pending projects.

Kim Sang-cheol, Director of the Culture, Tourism and Sports Bureau of Gyeongbuk Province, said, “We will promptly establish project plans for the selected projects to achieve early results, and proactively respond to securing national funding next year to ensure that pending projects for revitalizing Gyeongbuk tourism can be swiftly implemented.”