1 Night, 2 Days to Namdo by Train... Culture Ministry Offers Up to 35% Off Travel Packages

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced on April 28 that, together with Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), the metropolitan cities of Busan, Gwangju, and Ulsan, as well as Jeollanam-do and Gyeongsangnam-do provinces, it will launch a pilot project to promote travel along the "Namdo Train Dulle-gil" route.

S-train entering Deukryang Station

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This initiative is a railway-linked travel program that connects tourist destinations in the southern region along the Gyeongjeon Line between Busan and Mokpo. As a follow-up to the regional tourism leap-forward strategy announced at the Expanded National Tourism Strategy Meeting held last February, it serves as the first stage of the “Korea Train Dulle-gil” project, which aims to integrate train stations and nearby tourist attractions into a single travel course by utilizing the metropolitan railway network.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, KORAIL, and the five local governments will offer 2-day, 1-night travel packages that combine train, bus, and accommodation, providing discounts of up to 35% off the package price.

The "Namdo Train Dulle-gil" will operate across four courses. These include a route starting at Busan Station and arriving at Haenam Station, followed by tours of major attractions in the Haenam and Jangheung areas; and another route beginning at Mokpo Station and ending at Jinju Station, allowing visits to tourist destinations in Jinju and Hadong. The first trip will begin with the Jinju-Hadong course on May 16 and will continue throughout the year.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism explained that tourism indicators for regions utilizing local airports and railways have recently improved. According to statistics from the Korea Tourism Organization and KORAIL, in the first quarter of this year, 853,905 foreign tourists entered Korea via local airports-a 49.7% increase year-on-year. The number of foreign travelers using railways was approximately 1.69 million, marking a 46.4% increase.

Visitor numbers to regional tourist attractions are also on the rise. In the first quarter of this year, 180,000 domestic and international visitors came to Gangguan in Tongyeong, Gyeongsangnam-do; 260,000 visited Jangsaengpo Whale Village in Ulsan; and 570,000 visited Suncheonman National Garden in Jeollanam-do.

To expand regional tourism content, the ministry is providing a total of 179.6 billion won in support to local governments this year: 141.5 billion won for the Southern Region Metropolitan Tourism Development Project, 21.1 billion won for the Chungcheong Region Metropolitan Tourism Development Project, and 17 billion won for the Western Inland Region Metropolitan Tourism Development Project.

Kang Jeongwon, policy chief for tourism at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "This railway-linked travel package was created to reduce travel costs for the public and to provide an opportunity to rediscover the charms of the southern region. We will continue to expand regional tourism content to vitalize both local tourism and the regional economy."

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