'Local Trip Autumn Picnic' runs Wednesday through Sunday

Seven regions to showcase festivals, food and travel information

Event follows Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's call to link tourism gains to local economies

Keyring-making workshops and specialty liquor tastings also on offer

[Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]
[Provided by Seoul Metropolitan Government]

The Seoul Metropolitan Government and the Seoul Tourism Foundation announced Thursday that they will hold a "Local Trip Autumn Picnic" event at the regional tourism antenna shop on Sejong-daero in Jung-gu from Wednesday through Sunday.

The event comes as mild autumn weather has prompted a wave of regional festivals across the country, offering people who want to attend those festivals — or who cannot make the trip — a chance to gather information on regional travel destinations, festivals and local food.

The event is drawing particular attention as it follows Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon's recent call at a senior staff meeting for the city to "play an active role in ensuring that Seoul's tourism achievements translate into economic vitality for regional areas." The city subsequently announced it would expand its use of the regional tourism antenna shop as a hub for promoting and experiencing local tourism.

Seven regions — Gyeonggi Province, South Chungcheong Province, North Gyeongsang Province, Andong, North Jeolla Province, Gangwon Province and Jeju — will take part, introducing autumn travel destinations and festival information while showcasing specialty liquors, tourism products, local food and merchandise.

Regional products on display will include Andong specialty liquors, tourism goods from North Jeolla Province businesses, and travel merchandise from Gangwon Province and Jeju. Food items using local agricultural produce will also be on sale, including North Gyeongsang Province apple desserts, Yeoju financiers, Cheorwon wasabi cream lattes and Jeju tangerine desserts. A rooftop rest area overlooking the stone wall path of Deoksugung and the Anglican Cathedral of the Diocese of Seoul will also be set up.

A "Seoul Hall" introducing Seoul tourism content will provide information on "Seoul Edition 25" — the city's representative tourist attractions by district — as well as autumn festival events including drone light shows. Hands-on programs will include keyring-making using local landmark designs, specialty liquor tastings, a stamp tour and street performances.

The event runs daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Details on individual programs and advance reservations for the specialty liquor tasting sessions are available on the regional tourism antenna shop's official Instagram account.

Jo Seong-ho, director of the Seoul Metropolitan Government's Tourism and Sports Bureau, said he hoped the event would give visitors "a chance to experience the charm of regional areas right in the heart of Seoul and discover new travel destinations," adding that the city would "expand cooperation so that visits to the antenna shop lead to actual trips to those regions."

The regional tourism antenna shop opened last September across from Seoul City Hall as a promotional space for local tourism. It introduces tourism content from eight local governments across the country, including Gangwon Province, North Gyeongsang Province and Andong, and has welcomed more than 220,000 cumulative visitors this year.


ken@heraldcorp.com