South Gyeongsang Province designates first-ever 'Tourism Day,' vows to transform southern coast

South Gyeongsang Province has designated the country's first provincial "Tourism Day" and declared a sweeping transformation of its tourism strategy, aiming to develop the southern coast into a world-class maritime leisure destination. The move was prompted by the confirmation of a major island-linking maritime highway project along the South Sea.

The province announced Tuesday that it will hold the inaugural South Gyeongsang Province Tourism Day ceremony at the Changwon Convention Center on Wednesday, with Governor Park Wan-su, the provincial assembly speaker and about 200 tourism industry officials in attendance. The event will feature the unveiling of a vision titled "Great Transformation of the South Sea, Great Leap for South Gyeongsang Tourism."

The province designated July 11 as its annual Tourism Day to mark the confirmation of National Route 5, the island-linking maritime highway project along the South Sea, and to develop the tourism industry as a new growth engine for the region. The province enacted a related ordinance in February to establish the legal basis for the designation.

The South Sea island-linking maritime highway project is a large-scale infrastructure undertaking that will connect a 152-kilometer stretch from Donam-dong in Tongyeong to Changseon-myeon in Namhae-gun, linking Geoje, Tongyeong, Sacheon and Namhae into a single maritime tourism belt.

The project carries a total budget of 2.46 trillion won ($1.6 billion). It will connect major islands including Sachang-do and Dumi-do in Tongyeong and build a large maritime transport network passing through the new Namhae Bridge, Gawang Bridge and new Tongyeong Bridge sections.

At the ceremony, the province will present the inaugural "South Gyeongsang Tourism Grand Prize" to outstanding cities and counties selected based on inbound tourist numbers, tourism spending and a review committee evaluation. Eight civil servants and 31 private-sector individuals will also receive commendations.

The province has designated the two-week period from Saturday to July 18 as "South Gyeongsang Tourism Week" and will run a range of programs to attract visitors.

Twenty-three local organizations and groups will participate, offering 77 linked programs — including a buy-one-get-one discount for children at Robot Land, the Goseong Manchobang Hydrangea Festival and a lodging sale event across 11 population-decline areas.

The province said foreign tourist spending this year has risen 31 percent from the same period last year, crediting stronger spring flower tourism marketing — including campaigns around the Jinhae Gunhangje festival — and expanded social media promotion.

The province is also pursuing a global youth forum in the Gimhae and Namhae areas, as well as efforts to attract cruise tourists through connections between Masan Port and Busan Port.

"Some analyses show that attracting 12 foreign tourists is equivalent to exporting one automobile," said Kim Sang-won, director of the province's tourism development bureau. "We will develop South Gyeongsang Province into a global hub for maritime leisure and K-tourism."