This is a panoramic view of Jatyanggi Purunsup Resort, the country's largest nut pine forex complex, in a rural tourism belt in Gapyeong-gun County, Gyeonggi-do Province

By Charles Audouin

Domestic tourism in rural areas is shifting from day trips to extended stays at overnight accommodations.

The Rural Development Administration (RDA) in its 2024 rural tourism survey found that the share of trips to such regions of one night or more steadily increased from 27.5% in 2020 to 38.5% in 2022 and 40% in 2024.

Reflecting this shift in tourism trends, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in July announced the development of a pilot model of a rural tourism belt to alleviate the exclusion of tourism benefits in many rural areas and small- and medium cities. Another objective is to extend tourist stays and spending in rural economies, which are stagnating due to depopulation and the emergence of a super-aging society.

The crux of the project is to link tourism resources and integrate them into single travel experiences. To form a unified itinerary, it combines a range of tourism resources such as rural experience and leisure villages, breweries, master food artisans, "farmhouse restaurants" designated by the RDA for their use of agricultural products and the traditional cuisine of each region, Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage, therapeutic farms; natural recreation forests; and arboretums.

An analysis of tourist mobility data led to the ministry's proposal of 11 models of such belts nationwide. Each is designed around themes such as gastronomy, wellness, traditional culture and Korean content, highlighting the unique traits of each region.

The Dumulmeori area in Yangpyeong-gun County, Gyeonggi-do Province, is where the Bukhangang and Namhangang rivers meet. The scenic site is also famous as a filming location for the 2015 K-drama "She Was Pretty" starring Park Seo-joon, Hwang Jung-eum and Choi Si-won.

The Gyeonggi-do Province model, located about an hour by car from Seoul, is centered on Gapyeong-gun County, which is rich in beautiful natural scenery and scrumptious restaurants. An analysis of tourist movement data led to the creation of the K-Culture Experiential Stay Belt by linking Pocheon and Yangpyeong-gun County, which have similar inbound and outbound tourist flows.

Attractions such as Sanjeonghosu Lake; Hantangang Columnar Joint Path in Pocheon; the arboretum Garden of Morning Calm and Jatyanggi Purunsup Resort, the country's largest nut pine forex complex, in Gapyeong-gun; and Dumulmeori and Gudun Station in Yangpyeong-gun were grouped into one tourist zone. Based on these resources, the itineraries developed included nature day trips, overnight wellness and healing programs, and a two-night Korean culture experience.

These birch trees at Seohuri Forest in Yangpyeong-gun County, Gyeonggi-do Province, is where the K-pop juggernaut BTS filmed its "2019 Season's Greeting" content.

"Where do tourists spend their money, where do they go and how long can we get them to stay? These three questions form the starting point for a rural tourism belt," a ministry official on Sept. 10 told a briefing at a brewery in Pocheon. "Our goal is to make sure that visitors spend more in a region and that the proceeds benefit the economy there."

"For foreign tourists, K-dramas and K-pop are compelling reasons to visit Korea," he added. "We've designed these packages so that instead of merely watching K-culture, visitors also experience the surrounding nature, cuisine, activities and accommodations."

More information on the pilot belt models is on the related portal Welchon (www.welchon.com), which offers details on about 1,000 leading rural tourism resources nationwide through an interactive online map.

caudouin@korea.kr