A forest recreation facility on Maebongsan in Taebaek, Gangwon Province, is on pace to more than double its visitor count from last year, driven by a surge in popularity this summer as heat-weary travelers sought refuge in the cool highland air.
The Gangwon Forest Science Research Institute said Monday that 5,234 people visited the site during the peak months of July and August alone, pushing the cumulative visitor count since March to 10,298 — a milestone reached in just six months.
Known as "Maebongsan Heavenly Forest," the facility sits at an elevation of more than 1,000 meters above sea level and operates a forest campground and a healing forest.
In addition to camping and lodging, it offers a range of forest welfare services, including guided forest walks, forest therapy sessions and nature-craft workshops.
Even in August, when heat waves gripped much of the country, visitors kept coming to Taebaek — long known for its cool summers. The facility's overall occupancy rate for camping and lodging reached 78 percent, while its most popular accommodation, the "Forest House," hit 94 percent.
The institute expanded its programming from June onward — adding forest therapy sessions, guided forest interpretation walks and outdoor forest concerts — a move analysts cite as a key driver of the surge.
Bookings for September and October, which benefit from the Chuseok holiday and fall foliage season, are tracking at a pace similar to the summer peak. If the trend holds, the institute projects the site will draw about 2.4 times as many visitors as it did last year.
Maebongsan is also known as "Wind Hill." Starting this month, the facility has opened an additional minimal-gear campsite for travelers who prefer a lighter camping setup. It also plans to select standout visitor reviews from its website and award winners with Gangwon Province specialty products, in a bid to further boost visitor numbers.
Park Myeong-hui, director of the Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province Forest Science Research Institute, said the facility aims to "provide differentiated forest welfare services to attract more visitors and contribute to revitalizing tourism in the region transitioning away from the coal industry."
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