With Gangwon Province Governor U Sang-ho pledging to turn the region into "the Switzerland of Korea," the Gangwon Tourism Foundation is set to bring the province's beaches, valleys, food and culture to central Seoul in a sweeping travel marketing campaign.
The foundation will run the "2026 Gangwon Tourism Integrated Branding Promotional Pop-up Store" at the plaza in front of Myeongdong Arts Theater from Tuesday through Saturday next week.
Held under the slogan "Gangwon — then and now, always a journey," the pop-up is designed to let visitors from the greater Seoul area and foreign tourists experience signature tourism programs from all 18 cities and counties of Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province firsthand, in the heart of Myeong-dong where domestic and international foot traffic converges.
The pop-up will serve as an open showcase of Gangwon's tourism offerings, letting Seoul visitors sample destinations across the province — from the nostalgic romance of Gangchon and the literary village of Kim Yu-jeong, known for its lovesick charm, to a summer night cruise to Gangneung to catch the moon. Highlights span the hidden gem scenery of Jeongseon's eight scenic spots and Auraji, the coastal lagoon and rock-island bridge at Songjiho in Goseong, and the royal atmosphere of Yeongwol. Taebaek, billed as the country's top spot for stargazing and aurora-like night skies, shares the stage with Yanggu's pristine mountain waters, a reinvented Yangyang, and Wonju's Park Gyeong-ni literary walk and the clean highland zone around Chiaksan. Cheorwon rounds out the lineup with Goseokjeong and the Nodongdangsa Cultural Village, while Donghae is showcased as an activity hub and a rising surfing destination.
Visitors can check festival schedules and travel information by region, cast votes for the festivals they most want to attend, and explore the appeal of culinary tourism through an exhibition of Gangwon's signature dishes.
The event particularly expands visitor participation. A stamp tour sends guests around the pop-up to collect stamps at various stations, while a self-service kiosk helps visitors find Gangwon destinations that match their tastes. On-site quizzes challenge participants to identify Gangwon dialect expressions and guess the distance from the venue to various parts of the province. Social media verification events, a Gangwon photo-card making station and mini-games round out the program. Visitors who complete the stamp mission or take part in activities can win prizes including character dolls representing the 18 cities and counties, commemorative goods and Gangwon snack packages.
Choi Seong-hyeon, chief executive of the Gangwon Tourism Foundation, said the foundation had created "a space where people can directly experience Gangwon's diverse tourism resources at Myeong-dong, one of the country's premier tourism hubs." He added that the pop-up would serve as a platform to "discover Gangwon's new charms and actively promote Gangwon travel, connecting it to Seoul's Myeong-dong."
The event also marks the first collaboration between Gangwon tourism and the Myeong-dong commercial district following the foundation's MOU with the Seoul-based Myeongdong Merchants Association, with the two sides planning to develop a range of tourism projects through ongoing cooperation.
abc@heraldcorp.com
