Government develops 11 rural tourism belt pilot models linking cities and counties

The government has developed 11 rural tourism belt pilot models linking regional tourism resources across city and county boundaries. The initiative aims to boost overnight rural tourism, extend visitor stays, increase local spending and spread a wide-area rural tourism model that local governments can adopt.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs announced Friday it had established 11 rural tourism belt pilot models covering nine regions nationwide, as well as the first opened and connected sections of the east-west trail in Uljin and Bonghwa in North Gyeongsang Province and Taean, Seosan, Dangjin, Yesan and Hongseong in South Chungcheong Province.

The pilot models take a cross-boundary approach, linking rural tourism resources from multiple areas into a single itinerary rather than confining them to individual city or county jurisdictions. The initiative responds to growing demand for extended stays: the share of rural tourism trips lasting at least one night rose from 27.5 percent in 2020 to 40 percent last year.

The ministry used nationally approved visitor statistics for major tourist sites, along with tourism big data, to analyze tourist inflow and outflow patterns and identify hub cities and counties alongside linked ones. Based on that analysis, it proposed itineraries ranging from day trips to one- and two-night stays, organized around themes such as gastronomy, wellness, traditional culture and K-culture.

In South Chungcheong Province, the pilot model centers on Yesan as the hub, linking Hongseong and Asan in a "traditional culture experience belt." The itinerary connects Yesan Market, Yesan apple wine, Hongju Eupseong Fortress, Oeam Folk Village and Hyeonchungsa Shrine into tourism courses covering scenic sightseeing, food and wellness, and cultural immersion with overnight stays.

The ministry plans to pilot tourism products based on the new belt models through its rural tour pass program and will distribute guidelines to local governments this month to support the development and operation of rural tourism belts suited to each region's conditions.

Jeon Han-yeong, director general of the ministry's Rural Policy Bureau, said the rural tourism belt is "a new tourism model designed to organically connect diverse rural tourism resources and existing visitor demand to invigorate extended-stay tourism and breathe new life into local economies." He added that he hopes the pilot models and guidelines will lead to a wide variety of rural tourism belts that bring out the distinctive character of each region.