Head to the countryside this summer: Rural tourism discounts and events expanded

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said Thursday it is extending "Rural Tourism Week" through June 16 to encourage city residents to travel to the countryside ahead of the peak summer holiday season.

Rural Tourism Week is a campaign designed to channel leisure and travel demand toward rural areas and inject vitality into local economies through discounts on rural tourism products and a range of events. The ministry previously held the event during the second week of each month; this year it has expanded the campaign to run through the 2026 Rural Travel Festival.

This year's event features expanded discounts on rural experience and accommodation products. Items available through online booking platforms will grow to 165 offerings across 25 villages. Rural experience products will be discounted by up to 30 percent, while accommodation products will be discounted by up to 20 percent.

Starting this month, 20 rural "Creato-tour" packages operating across 10 regions will also be discounted by up to 50 percent. The regions include Hongcheon and Yeongwol in Gangwon Province, Chungju in North Chungcheong Province, Damyang in South Jeolla Province, and Bonghwa, Yeongju, Andong, Sancheong, Sacheon and Geochang in the Gyeongsang provinces. Special discounts on regional rural tourism packages and rural workcation products will continue as well.

The ministry also plans to run a range of participatory programs, including a social media buzz event on the Welchon platform, a product review event and a check-in campaign for visits to top healing farms and farm restaurants.

Ahead of the summer holiday season, the ministry will step up online and offline promotions to attract families, young travelers and foreign tourists. Recommended destinations, top rural villages and rural travel product information will be shared through the Welchon website and social media, with additional promotions planned in partnership with private platforms.

The ministry will also hold a Rural Travel Festival at Seoul Plaza on June 16. Rural experience and recreation villages from nine provinces across the country will take part, running rural tourism promotion, hands-on experience and exhibition programs.

On-site, visitors will find regional rural tourism experience pavilions alongside a ministry policy promotion booth and a Welchon information booth. The Korea Forest Service and the Rural Development Administration will also participate, showcasing rural tourism resources such as healing farms, rural education farms and the East-West Trail. A dedicated booth for young rural tourism entrepreneurs will round out the event.

"Rural Tourism Week and the Rural Travel Festival are a great opportunity for people to directly experience the charm and value of our rural areas," said Jeon Han-yeong, director general for rural policy at the ministry. "We hope people planning summer vacations and trips during the school break will come to the countryside and create special memories while enjoying a range of discounts."