Yeosu City Launches Full-Scale Promotion as an 'International Marine Tourism Resort City'

[Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon] In the recent ‘2021 Regional Tourism Development Index Trend Analysis’ announced by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Yeosu City (Mayor Jeong Gi-myeong) was the only city in the South Coast area including Jeollanam-do to be selected as Grade 1 for two consecutive times.

The ‘Regional Tourism Development Index’ is an index that comprehensively and objectively evaluates the degree of tourism development in regions by surveying 17 cities and provinces and 152 cities and counties nationwide every two years, conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute.

[Photo by Yeosu City]

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In fact, Yeosu was one of the most famous tourist destinations nationwide, attracting more than ten million visitors annually before COVID-19.

Although the number of tourists fell below ten million due to the impact of COVID-19 in 2020 (8.72 million) and 2021 (9.77 million), it showed a rapid recovery to pre-COVID-19 tourist numbers by exceeding 12 million as of the end of December last year.

Riding on this high tourism competitiveness and rapid recovery of tourists, the city is embarking on the promotion of a ‘marine tourism resort city.’

While developing stay-type and customized tourism products, various tourism policies have also been prepared.

Recently, an organizational restructuring was carried out, significantly reinforcing related personnel.

In particular, the ‘marine tourism resort city’ development plan being promoted this time is one of the five key policies to realize ‘Mihang Yeosu, a hub city of the South Coast,’ a vision presented by Mayor Jeong Gi-myeong of Yeosu City in the 8th local government term. The future changes in Yeosu are already highly anticipated and exciting.

▲ Development of wellness and eco-tourism resources linked to the 2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo

Yeosu City prioritizes wellness tourism development as the value of the wellness tourism industry has increased socially with the spread of the well-being trend pursuing quality of life and happiness after COVID-19.

Especially, based on the wellness and ontact tourism development plan service completed last year, island tourism development was given the highest priority.

The first is the revitalization of Geumo-do Bireong-gil. 3 billion KRW will be invested in Course 4 of Bireong-gil to open a suspension bridge and a trail.

The plan is to create an island marine tourism belt by not only developing stay-type tourist destinations in island areas but also activating the southern central region (Goheung-Yeosu-Namhae) marine tourism route.

The ‘Beauty & Spa Wellness Tourism Hub Project,’ which will be reflected in the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s southern region wellness tourism activation project, will also be promoted.

217 billion KRW will be invested near Baekya Bridge to expand wellness experience facilities, island specialty product sales facilities, parking lots, and other convenience facilities.

In addition, the ecological tourism resource development project utilizing island resources connected to the Eleven Bridge, which is being constructed in connection with National Road No. 77, is steadily progressing.

Along with this, the development of tourism resources on islands such as Nangdo, Jeokgeumdo, Jobaldo, and Dunbyeongdo connected to the Yeosu-Goheung land and island bridges completed in 2020 is scheduled to be completed by 2024.

In particular, the completion of the Jobaldo Skywalk, currently in detailed design, is expected to greatly help activate island tourism.

Starting with the development project of themed tourism resources on Gaedo, the sub-venue of the Islands Expo, development of four islands including Hwatae, Wolho, Jedo, and Baekyado will be completed by 2026.

Various island-related software contents such as the 1st Yeosu International Webfest, which will screen web dramas produced on the theme of islands, and the Eleven Bridge International Marathon will also be operated.

[Photo by Yeosu City]

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▲ Actively responding to changing tourism demand with target-specific customized tourism

To actively respond to changing tourism demand and increase tourism satisfaction to create a city that tourists revisit, customized tourism policies centered on demand by age and class will be promoted.

For the youth aged 20-30, who account for more than 30% of all tourists, global smart one-stop tourism services applying the five elements of smart tourism and metaverse content will be provided in the popular tourist spot of the Marine Park area, continuing the image of a hip tourist city.

For middle-aged and older tourists over 40, who have large consumption scales, an experiential tourism facility combining leisure and recreation will be created by developing a tourist complex in Dolsan-eup area.

For tourism-vulnerable groups who have difficulties in tourism activities due to restrictions on movement, facility use, and information access, plans to expand the creation of open tourist destinations that allow free travel will be implemented.

Along with this, the ‘Happy Travel Activity Support Project for Tourism Vulnerable Groups’ plans to develop and operate same-day travel products within the province.

In addition, efforts will be made to revitalize international cruise tourism, including the establishment of cruise infrastructure, administrative support, and incentive support for foreign tourists following the resumption of overseas travel.

Also, historical and cultural tourism resource development such as the ‘Yeosu Challenge Park Tourist Complex Development’ including the Luge Theme Park opening in March to attract family tourists, ‘Coastal Cruise Activation,’ and ‘Development of the Joint Naval Fleet Themed Tourism Resources’ will be completed by 2024.

▲ Fostering high value-added exhibition complex industry (MICE)... Construction of International Exhibition Convention Center

Through maximizing the MICE industry, which brings economic effects to various industrial structures, Yeosu aims to become a genuine ‘South Coast hub MICE international conference city.’

With the goal of increasing the MICE sales scale from the current 100 billion KRW level to 400 billion KRW level during the term, the Yeosu City MICE Industry Promotion Comprehensive Plan research service will present promotion plans including the construction of the international exhibition convention center starting this year.

The service will be promoted in a direction that enhances private and public functions by including related facilities considering the regional economic ripple effects.

Earlier, to actively foster the MICE industry, the city incorporated the MICE team into the Tourism Division through a large-scale organizational restructuring on January 9 and strengthened the convention bureau system before the construction of the convention center.

▲ Establishing public-private cooperation system to create a solid tourism environment

Yeosu City promotes the development of competitive tourism content and improvement of accommodation capacity through the establishment of a ‘public-private cooperation system’ for sustainable tourism.

It also plans to expand tourism accommodation capacity through kindness academies for tourism workers, maintenance of aging tourism facilities, and improvement of local tourism transportation.

Especially, from April, with the expected influx of many tourists to Jeollanam-do due to the Suncheonman International Garden Expo, thorough accommodation preparation, expanded incentive support, and linked discounts for tourism facilities have been planned as a win-win strategy to support the successful hosting of the Garden Expo.

Jeong Jae-ho, Director of the Fisheries Tourism Bureau, said, “Based on abundant tourism resources such as beautiful islands, sea, and pristine natural environment, we will do our best to promote differentiated tourism policies to enhance competitiveness as a stay-type tourism city,” and added, “We will successfully promote the marine tourism resort city development plan to accelerate the realization of ‘Mihang Yeosu, a South Coast hub city,’ the vision of Yeosu City in the 8th local government term.”

Yeosu=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Cheol-hoon hss79@asiae.co.kr

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