Long known by the old saying "If you go to Inje, when will you ever leave?" — a phrase that once evoked the hardships of soldiers stationed in the remote county — Inje-gun has rebranded itself with a new travel slogan, "Inje Sinnam," inspired by a road sign in Sinnam-myeon. The wordplay on "sinnam," meaning excitement, has set the stage for a string of upbeat developments.
Hot on the heels of an unexpectedly strong turnout at the 2026 Inje Autumn Flower Festival, which opened during the chuseok holiday, the county launched the first project funded by its hometown-love fund at the festival grounds: the Inje city tour. The service made its inaugural run Thursday, coinciding with the festival's opening.
The Inje city tour is a tourism transport project using hometown-love fund money to help visitors and residents explore the county's major attractions more conveniently. Its first route was a special line tied to the autumn flower festival.
Knowing that the bus carries the affection of Inje residents for their hometown gives travelers an extra sense of warmth.
The festival-linked route lets riders take in the festival site at Yongdae tourist area in Buk-myeon, the Yeochoseoye-gwan calligraphy gallery and Baekdamsa temple all in a single day — connecting flower viewing with cultural and nature exploration.
The 2026 Inje Autumn Flower Festival, running through Oct. 11, features flower-lined paths of chrysanthemums and oxeye daisies, along with a variety of attractions including the "Park In-hwan Romantic Garden," created to mark the centenary of poet Park In-hwan's birth.
After touring the festival grounds, city tour riders can visit Yeochoseoye-gwan to view works by master calligrapher Yeecho Kim Eung-hyeon, then head to Baekdamsa temple to enjoy the scenic valley at the foot of Seoraksan and the tranquil mountain temple setting.
Riders on the inaugural run shared their impressions. "It was great not having to worry about driving," one said. Another said they appreciated receiving 10,000 won ($7) back as gift vouchers usable for meals.
Because a single booking connects several destinations with distinct charms, the county expects the city tour to extend visitors' reach across the region and help promote longer stays.
Beyond the festival-linked route, the Inje city tour operates several lines connecting the county's major attractions, including Baekdamsa temple and Naetgang Village, the birch forest, and the Baekdamsa temple–Hangye Fortress route.
The fare is 10,000 won per person, and the full amount is refunded as Inje Love gift vouchers to encourage spending at local businesses during the trip. Meals and optional activity fees are separate, and a minimum of eight passengers is required for a run.
Schedules, departure times and booking details for each route are available on the Inje-gun county website or through the county's tourism platform, "Jigeum, Yeogi, Inje" (Now, Here, Inje).
Kim Jang-ung, head of the regional development division at Inje-gun, said he hopes the city tour, which took its first steps alongside the autumn flower festival opening, will draw festival visitors further into the county. "We will continue to strengthen route operations so that travelers can conveniently discover not only Inje's well-known attractions but also its many hidden charms," he said.
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