Eight new local governments join the program
Over 1,400 tourism facilities now offer discounts nationwide
Initiative aims to draw visitors to depopulating regions
Eight new regions will join the Digital Tourism Resident Card program, a government initiative designed to boost tourism in areas experiencing population decline. The expansion brings the total number of participating tourism facilities and venues offering discounts to more than 1,400.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization said Monday the program, previously operating in 44 regions, will expand to 52 regions starting that day. The participating areas now account for 58.4 percent of the 89 depopulating regions the Ministry of Interior and Safety designated and announced in October 2021.
The eight newly added local governments are Boeun-gun in North Chungcheong Province; Sunchang-gun in North Jeolla Province; Goheung-gun, Damyang-gun and Wando-gun in South Jeolla Province; Uljin-gun in North Gyeongsang Province; and Sancheong-gun and Hamyang-gun in South Gyeongsang Province. They were selected through a public application process in April.
With the expansion, the number of venues where cardholders can enjoy discounts has grown by roughly 300 — from about 1,100 to more than 1,400. Among the new regions, Goheung-gun and Wando-gun in South Jeolla Province offer the steepest discounts. Goheung-gun cuts admission to the Buncheong Ware Museum and Goheung Gapjae Folk Exhibition Hall by 50 percent, while Wando-gun offers 50 percent off entry to Wando Tower. Damyang-gun in South Jeolla Province provides a 40 percent weekday discount at Delight Damyang, and Hamyang-gun in South Gyeongsang Province offers 40 percent off stays at Wellness Hotel Insanga.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization plan to hold a series of promotional events to mark the expansion. From June 22 to June 30, a promotional booth at Starfield Suwon's pop-up store will host a membership registration event, with participants receiving accommodation discount vouchers valid in the new regions. A special invitation event tied to Andong's "Hahoe Seonyu Julbul Nori" festival is also planned, offering visitors a candlelight wish-writing experience and Andong local gift certificates.
Kang Dong-jin, the ministry's director general for tourism policy, said the government is working to improve the program's quality — not just its scale — through an amendment to its enforcement decree. The amendment will incorporate feedback from various stakeholders by November, covering eligibility requirements and benefit standards. "We will work to establish the Digital Tourism Resident Card as a meaningful system that genuinely expands the living population in depopulating regions," he said.
terry@heraldcorp.com
