Hamyang Sees Tangible Results from Stay-Type Tourism Policies

As Hamyang-gun, South Gyeongsang Province, pursues tourism revitalization centered on stay-type tourism policies, local tourism spending and visitor stay indicators are showing a clear upward trend.

According to an analysis by the Korea Tourism Organization Data Lab, tourism spending in Hamyang-gun in the first quarter of this year increased by 10.2% compared to the same period last year. This figure significantly exceeds the national average growth rate of 4.8%, indicating that the strategy to expand stay-type tourism is leading to tangible increases in consumption.

Additionally, travel platform analysis found that Hamyang-gun ranked second nationwide with a 78.6% year-on-year increase in accommodation reservations. Notably, four out of the top five regions were county-level areas, demonstrating a recent shift in tourism trends from large cities to nature- and experience-centered destinations.

[Photo by Hamyang County] Group photo of hikers participating in the Dosungsan mountain hike, 'Oreul GO' and others

원본보기 아이콘

These achievements are attributed to the stay-type tourism policy that combines the area’s natural environment with hands-on experiences.

Hamyang-gun has been expanding experiential tourism by operating the mountain tourism content "Orle GO Hamyang," based on Jirisan and Deogyusan mountains. The program certifies climbers who complete all 15 famous mountains in the area at altitudes above 1,000 meters, drawing participation from hikers nationwide and establishing itself as a flagship tourism attraction.

Now in its second year, "Orle GO Hamyang" continues its steady growth, reaching approximately 20,000 app subscribers and about 5,000 participants who completed the challenge as of April this year.

The county is also actively promoting support policies to encourage longer stays. These include the "Meomul GO" program, which subsidizes 50% of accommodation costs for "Orle GO" participants using local lodgings, and a policy that refunds part of the fees for public facilities such as Daebongsan Healing Valley in the form of local gift certificates.

Furthermore, the "Orle GO Taxi" initiative provides a 50% subsidy for taxi fares within the county, enhancing convenience and accessibility for hikers, and strengthening practical, tourist-focused support measures.

At the same time, healing-oriented content that links key attractions such as Sangnim Park and the Jirisan Scenery Trail is also contributing to increased visitor numbers. The strategy of catering to changing tourism demand-where visitors seek to stay in nature and enjoy hands-on experiences-is being evaluated as effective.

Hamyang-gun plans to further strengthen its policies centered on experiential and stay-type tourism and to continue expanding tourism programs linked to local resources.

An official from the county said, "Recently, tourism trends are shifting from simple visits to stays that focus on experience," adding, "We will make Hamyang an attractive destination that people want to revisit, based on its unique natural environment, content, and support policies for longer stays."

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.