Participants in the Rest a While Island Project practice yoga while facing the sunset on Ganghwado Island of Incheon. (Korea Tourism Organization)

By Charles Audouin

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on March 6 announced its planned development of six regions as "wellness tourism clusters": Daegu, Busan, Incheon and the provinces of Gangwon-do, Jeollabuk-do and Chungcheongbuk-do.

Each of the six will receive KRW 450 million in support.

Daegu and Busan will focus on evolving into medical tourism hubs. Through its abundant medical infrastructure and wellness resources, Daegu plans to develop over 60 tourism products over the next three years.

Busan is devising medical tourism that reflects the traits of each region like hot springs and recuperation in its eastern area, eco-tourism in the west, and beauty and spas in urban areas.

Incheon will divide tourism into categories: medical and beauty downtown, MICE (meeting, incentives, conventions and exhibitions) in Songdo International Business District, airport and port related on Yeongjongdo Island, and nature and healing on Ganghwado Island.

The goal is for Incheon to attract 1.46 million medical and wellness tourists by 2028.

Gangwon-do is identifying its regional resources to attract tourists who stay long term. The province will have Wonju focus on digital health care, Yangyang-gun County dynamic activities, Pyeongchang-gun County forest use and Jeongseong-gun County nature-based relaxation.

Jeollabuk-do's target of healing cuisine will utilize Hanok (traditional house) villages, independent bookstores and fermented food ingredients.

Chungcheongbuk-do will boost its "blue wellness" brand through waterfronts and forests, centered on spas and beauty in Cheongju, meditation in Chungju, traditional herbal medicine in Jecheon, and forest and nature in Jeungpyeong-gun County.

"Tourists seek a new type of travel combining treatment, recovery and experience," the ministry said in a news release. "We will support the development and creation of tourism products combining related wellness resources and medical infrastructure to stimulate wellness tourism destinations."

caudouin@korea.kr