1. Study Objectives and Methods

▮ Research background and goals

￮ To deliver “unique and special interest tourism” following the launch ofJeonbuk State, the relevant authorities must promote long-stay tourism by expanding customized tourism tailored explicitly to tourists and devise measures to capitalize on the region’s tourism resources to proactively overcome the crisis of local extinction or rural depopulation.

￮ Additionally, it is necessary to develop programs in which anyone can enjoy their travel in Jeonbuk State regardless of the season and create innovative tourism content through the reinterpretation and recreation of existing tourism resources.

￮ This study aims to differentiate Jeonbuk State from other cities and provinces and revitalize the local economy. To this end, it emphasizes the need to actively discover and leverage regional tourism resources and presents city- and county-linked tourism development strategies and related roadmaps.

▮ Research methods

￮ We conducted a literature review encompassing the concept of local and community-based tourism development projects, policy trends and data, and domestic cases. We further diagnosed the current status of tourism resources in Jeonbuk, along with opportunities for improvement, and drew implications based on this diagnosis. Various statistical datasets and tools were employed to increase analytical objectivity and validity.

￮ We performed the first round of analysis during the COVID-19 period (January 2020–December 2022) to assess how tourists perceived the image of Jeonbuk State as a travel destination. Following the implementation of “With Corona” policies (November 2022), we carried out a supplementary analysis (January 2023–April 2024) to assess the latest impressions of Jeonbuk State as a tourist destination.

￮ For these analyses, we searched for data on X (formerly known as Twitter), blogs, online communities, and Instagram. Search terms included ‘Jeollabuk-do travel,’ ‘Jeonbuk travel,’ ‘Jeonbuk State travel,’ ‘Jeollabuk-do tourism,’ ‘Jeonbuk State tourism,’ and ‘Jeonbuk tourism.’ Advertising and promotional keywords were excluded, such as ‘advertising,’ ‘promotion,’ ‘thumbnails,’ ‘business trip,’ and ‘consultation.’ 

2. Roadmap and related action plans

▮ Roadmap

￮ The strategies and roadmap for local and community-based tourism in Jeonbuk State were presented based on the blueprint of three major goals and 12 action plans pursued in the initiative “Promoting Jeonbuk State as a Tourism Hub,” and the three regional zones (marine ecotourism zone, historical and cultural tourism zone, and recreational and leisure tourism zone) proposed in the “7th Jeonbuk Region Tourism Development Plan.”

￮ Furthermore, given the Jeonbuk region’s natural and land-related status, tourism resources, and the tourism development bases of its cities and counties, the three regional zones designated in the “7th Jeonbuk Region Tourism Development Plan” will remain in place. However, following advice from various experts, their names have been changed to K-Traditional Culture Experience Zone, K-Marine Leisure Experience Zone, and K-Mountain Arts Experience Zone.

▮ Action plans

￮ K-Traditional Culture Experience Zone: Create Korea’s No.1 historical and cultural center using historical, cultural, and religious resources

- Development direction: Create a tourist attraction where people can experience authentic and traditional Korean culture

-  Major projects: Construction of the K-Museum Valley, Creation of the Geumma Traditional Culture Experience Complex, Construction of the Jeongeup Cultural Creation Space Complex, and Reexamination of Early Modern Religious andCultural Heritage

￮ K-Marine Leisure Experience Zone: Establish a marine leisure area on the western coast of Jeonbuk using marine, leisure, and gastronomic resources 

- Development direction: Create an area where people can experience various marine-themed and leisure activities

-  Major projects: Construction of the Gogunsan Archipelago Island Art Night, Creation of the Mangyeong River Healing Complex Leiports Town, Creation of the Gomso Bay Food Tourism Creative Town, and the Gochang Salt Initiative

￮ K-Mountain Arts Experience Zone: Create the Art Hills in the Eastern World utilizing the surrounding mountains and forests—and the area’s recreational resources

- Development direction: Create a tourist attraction involving mountain-related art that offers healing, recreation, and art experiences to tourists

-  Major projects: Creation of the Seomjin River Family Art Park, Construction of the Water & Art Experience Belt along the Geum River, Establishment of the Yongdam Lake Emotional Art Tourism Belt, Construction of the First Waterway Under the 

Geum River Sky, Creation of the Okjeong Lake Art Valley, and Establishment of the Seomjin River Art Station

​​​​● DOWNLOAD REPORT (PDF, Korean)​​