South Korea’s Gaeudo Island Becomes A Must-visit Destination As Gangjin County’s Discount Travel Initiative Attracts Tourists From Across The Country

Published on August 22, 2025

South Korea’s Gangjin County is experiencing a singular tourism revival, acknowledgment to its innovative half-price recreation program. Designed to boost nan section system and pull visitors nationwide, nan inaugural reimburses visitors for a information of their expenses, turning a erstwhile quiet region into a bustling destination filled pinch taste attractions, outdoor adventures, and section specialties.

On nan day of August 20, Gaeudo Island successful Gangjin County, nestled successful South Jeolla Province, was live pinch activity. The mini island, nestled successful nan halfway of Gangjin Bay, attracts visitors pinch its footbridge connecting it to nan mainland and breathtaking features specified arsenic a monorail, zipline, and fast-paced pitchy vessel rides. pitchy vessel rides. Even connected a weekday, nan land welcomed visitors from crossed South Korea, eager to research its offerings.

Gangjin, location to astir 32,000 residents and famed arsenic nan spot wherever Jeong Yak-yong, nan renowned clever clever and reformist of nan precocious Joseon Dynasty, spent his years successful exile, has knowledgeable a singular translator successful nan past 2 years. The catalyst was South Korea’s first “half-price travel” initiative, launched successful January 2024, designed to respire life into nan county’s stagnating economy.

As portion of this groundbreaking initiative, immoderate group of 2 aliases much visitors tin person a refund covering half of their spending successful Gangjin, capped astatine 200,000 won ($145), done integer “Gangjin section gift vouchers.” These vouchers, delivered arsenic physics points, are redeemable astatine adjacent eateries, cafes, tourer attractions, and nan county’s online shop featuring section workplace and seafood products.Tourists are required to registry successful beforehand done nan county’s charismatic website to participate.

Officials successful Gangjin cautiously studied world user strategies while designing nan program. “We moreover looked astatine nan U.S. Black Friday model,” 1 region typical explained. “The extremity was to create a comparable surge successful section spending.”

To support nan initiative, Gangjin allocated 2.2 cardinal won (\$1.6 million) successful 2024, a important magnitude considering nan county’s yearly fund stands astatine 480 cardinal won (\$348 million). The bet proved successful. Social media buzz fueled nationalist interest, and Gangjin recorded a record-breaking 2.82 cardinal visitors successful 2024—a jump of 430,000 tourists, aliases 18%, from nan erstwhile year.

The influx of visitors has had a tangible effect connected nan section economy. County records uncover that 15,291 walking parties collectively spent astir 6.6 cardinal won ($4.8 million) while taking advantage of nan discounted recreation program. Meanwhile, income connected Gangjin’s online cultivation and seafood marketplace skyrocketed from 100 cardinal won (\$72,000) successful 2023 to 2.8 cardinal won (\$2 million) successful 2024. Shoppers eagerly purchased section specialties specified arsenic aged kimchi, shiitake mushrooms, and young radish kimchi.

The initiative’s occurrence has besides been recognized astatine nan nationalist level. In December 2024, nan Ministry of nan Interior and Safety cited Gangjin’s programme arsenic an exemplary lawsuit of section economical betterment and awarded nan region a typical assistance of 300 cardinal won (\$218,000).

Buoyed by past year’s achievements, Gangjin has expanded nan programme for 2025, expanding its fund to 2.7 cardinal won (\$2 million), which includes nan typical grant, and broadening nan benefits to pull much tourists.

The region is besides gearing up for its signature summertime event, nan “3rd Gangjin Ha-maek Festival,” scheduled from August 28 to 30. Hotel and guesthouse bookings were reported to beryllium astir afloat a period successful advance, reflecting beardown anticipation from visitors. Last year, we hosted 67,000 attendees, a region charismatic shared. For nan first time, this twelvemonth we expect welcoming much than 100,000 visitors.” Gangjin, erstwhile facing organization diminution and concerns of fading away, is now a thriving community.

South Korea’s Gangjin County is seeing a tourism roar acknowledgment to its half-price recreation program, which boosts nan section system and draws visitors from crossed nan country.

Gangjin’s acquisition demonstrates really targeted incentives, mixed pinch strategical readying and taste attractions, tin revitalize a region. By harnessing section assets—from historical sites to culinary specialties—the region has turned a humble inaugural into a nationwide occurrence story. For travelers, Gaeudo Island and nan surrounding areas now connection not only earthy beauty and escapade but besides a consciousness of being portion of Gangjin’s economical revival.