Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Deputy Governor for Economic Affairs Shin Won-chul will lead a tourism diplomacy push across East Asia to bring Gangwon's attractions to a global audience.
Shin will attend the 19th General Assembly of the East Asia Tourism Organization Federation (EATOF) in Cebu, the Philippines, from Tuesday through Friday, conducting tourism diplomacy with member local governments, the local tourism industry and media under the theme "New EATOF — Go Glocal: Connecting Regions to the World."
The assembly will bring together governors and provincial leaders from eight member governments — Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Cebu Province in the Philippines, Quang Ninh Province in Vietnam, Sarawak in Malaysia, Luang Prabang Province in Laos, Siem Reap Province in Cambodia, Tottori Prefecture in Japan and Tuv Province in Mongolia — along with representatives from the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and academics, tourism industry officials and journalists from each member government, totaling about 300 participants.
Shin will take part in symposiums, bilateral and multilateral talks, and a summit of local government leaders, while overseeing a promotional booth to highlight Gangwon's tourism appeal — including visa-free entry through Yangyang Airport, the ITS World Congress in Gangneung, wellness tourism and hallyu.
A range of programs focused on the revitalization and sustainability of the East Asian tourism industry are scheduled throughout the assembly.
At a summit attended by the leaders of the eight member governments and PATA, participants will discuss ways to boost practical tourism exchanges and pursue joint promotions among member governments, and will adopt a joint declaration to invigorate tourism cooperation across East Asia.
International tourism organizations including PATA and tourism experts will share the latest industry trends and spotlight global marketing strategies that draw on local resources, as well as approaches to building eco-friendly and sustainable tourism models.
In a keynote address at the governors' session, Shin plans to propose three action agendas for EATOF member governments: jointly building a "smart tourism ecosystem" based on AI and ICT, strengthening tourism data sharing and joint marketing, and expanding digital talent development and public-private cooperation networks.
Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province aims to use the assembly to strengthen its network among Asian local governments and establish a "practical tourism cooperation model centered on local governments," in line with the growing trend toward local tourism.
EATOF is the only tourism cooperation body among East Asian local governments, founded in 2000 under the leadership of Gangwon Province to help member regions leverage their individual strengths through shared policy goals and complementary cooperation — with the ultimate aim of creating a unified East Asian tourism zone. Now in its 19th year, the organization is undergoing a transformation with a renewed focus on delivering tangible benefits for its members.
As one of South Korea's leading tourism provinces, Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has played a significant role in building a framework for tourism exchange and cooperation for the shared development of Asia's tourism industry. Its contributions include sharing international tourism trends, coordinating a joint response to the COVID-19 crisis, broadening the experience and perspective of future tourism professionals and civil servants, dispatching cultural performance troupes to the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics and the 2023 World Forestry Expo, and participating in youth soccer tournaments in Chuncheon.
"Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province has served as the central pillar of East Asian tourism cooperation as the EATOF chair," Shin said. "Through this assembly, we will further strengthen glocal tourism diplomacy that connects the region's attractive tourism resources to the world, and we will play a leading role in helping East Asia emerge as a new hub of the global tourism market."
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