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Gangwon sees 20% rise in foreign tourists

Published: 19 Feb. 2025, 17:09 Updated: 20 Feb. 2025, 09:09

LEE JIAN
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A foreigner holds up a fish he has caught during the 2025 Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival in Gangwon on Feb. 2. [YONHAP]

Gangwon saw a 20 percent on-year increase in overseas tourists in 2024, the provincial government said in a press release Wednesday.

A total of 3.18 million foreigners visited the Gangwon last year, according to its data.

The northern province gained momentum as a tourist destination by hosting the 2024 Winter Youth Olympic Games in January, followed by the “Gangwon Snow Festa,” which coupled winter activities with Korean content like K-pop.

Gangwon also leveraged its reputation as a wellness vacation spot to hold discount events with 13 luxury resorts and collaborated with 35 travel agencies specializing in overseas tourists to curate travel packages around popular Korean culture.

The province drew some 150 million visitors last year, including both domestic and international travelers.

The Gangwon provincial government in January announced its goal to attract an annual 200 million visitors by 2026, and designated the years 2025 and 2026 as “Visit Gangwon Year.” Through the campaign, it plans to amp up the curation and marketing of tourist activities and facilities in the province.

“The boost in the province’s overseas visitor numbers is a strong indicator of Gangwon as a charming tourist spot,” Gangwon Vice Gov. Jeong Kwang-yeol said. “As we are in the first year of the ‘Visit Gangwon Year,’ we will take this momentum as an opportunity to refashion Gangwon as an even more popular year-round destination.”

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]