Breaking: Uiseong-Gun Garners National Award for Innovative Rural Tourism
Table of Contents
- 1. Breaking: Uiseong-Gun Garners National Award for Innovative Rural Tourism
- 2. How Uiseong-Gun Reimagined Rural Tourism
- 3. Evergreen Insights: A Blueprint for Lasting Rural Tourism
- 4. Chinese, recorded by local elders.
- 5. Award Recognition & Official Announcement
- 6. Core Pillars of Uiseong‑gun’s Slow‑Pace Tourism Model
- 7. Signature Story‑Driven Attractions
- 8. measurable Impacts Since 2021
- 9. Practical Tips for Travelers
- 10. Case Study: “Yeongnyu Story trail” – From Concept to Award‑Winning Route
- 11. Replicability & Lessons for Other Local Governments
- 12. Future Initiatives (2026‑2028)
Seoul – In a decisive win for community-led rural tourism, Uiseong-gun was named an excellent local government in the local resources interpretation category at the 2025 Rural Creation Tour Results Sharing Meeting. The ceremony took place at a major Seoul venue on December 15.
Organizers credited the award to Uiseong-gun’s ability to turn its rural assets into compelling, story-driven experiences, moving beyond visitor counts to meaningful engagement with local resources.
How Uiseong-Gun Reimagined Rural Tourism
The county expanded rural tourism from simple “experiences” to interpretive storytelling and relationship-building. It launched the Crea Tour program, uniting eight village areas through the rural Experience Recreation Village Council and backed by a 250 million won government grant.
Between the initiative’s start and the award,703 people participated in the rural travel product across 38 sessions. Notably, the emphasis was on content: each village’s history, landscape and living culture was woven into a cohesive narrative under the brand “Be sure to walk slowly, Uiseong Onsaemiro.”
Officials say the approach attracted new visitor segments, including foreign travelers, pet-friendly families, and households with children, by fostering ongoing, village-led relationships rather than one-off activities.
kim Joo-soo, the mayor, described Uiseong’s rural area as a “slow but deep asset” and pledged continued support for differentiated rural tourism grounded in local resources.
Evergreen Insights: A Blueprint for Lasting Rural Tourism
Experts see Uiseong’s model as part of a broader shift toward sustainable rural tourism that prioritizes interpretation,resident-led hosting,and long-term relationship-building. This approach aligns with global best practices in community-based advancement and sustainable tourism.
By combining administrative policy support, planning expertise from travel partners, and hands-on execution by local councils, uiseong demonstrates how rural areas can attract diverse audiences without compromising local character.For readers and policymakers, the case underscores a path for turning rural assets into enduring cultural and economic assets.
For broader context on slow and rural tourism, see international perspectives from organizations such as the United Nations World Tourism Institution and OECD’s work on rural development.
Primary takeaway: shift focus from “how much has been traveled” to “what has been left behind” and how communities, with residents at the helm, can sustain a vibrant rural tourism ecosystem.
| Key Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Award | Excellent Local Government – Local Resources Interpretation |
| Event | 2025 Rural Creation Tour Results Sharing meeting |
| Date | December 15,2025 |
| Location | LW convention,Seoul |
| Program | Crea Tour; Rural Experience Recreation Village Council |
| Investment | 250 million won (government funding) |
| Participants | 703 |
| Sessions | 38 |
| Village Coverage | Eight rural villages |
| brand | Be sure to walk slowly,uiseong Onsaemiro |
Moving forward,experts anticipate more regions adopting a similar model that blends policy support with local storytelling and resident leadership to build durable,relationship-based tourism ecosystems. Could your community adapt these lessons to its own rural assets?
What steps would you take to sustain visitor interest while protecting local culture and habitat? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Disclaimer: This article summarizes official announcements and publicly available data on rural tourism programs. Readers should consult local authorities for current program details and eligibility.
Chinese, recorded by local elders.
Uiseong‑gun Honored as an Excellent Local Government for Pioneering Slow‑Pace, story‑Driven Rural Tourism
Award Recognition & Official Announcement
- Award title: “Excellent Local Government for Rural tourism” (2025) – granted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in partnership with the Korea Rural Development Agency.
- Announcement date: 3 May 2025, published on the official Ministry portal【1】.
- Selection criteria: innovation in slow‑pace tourism, integration of local stories, measurable socio‑economic impact, and community participation.
Core Pillars of Uiseong‑gun’s Slow‑Pace Tourism Model
| Pillar | Description | Key initiatives |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Story‑Centric programming | Harnessing oral histories, folklore, and local legends to create immersive experiences. | • “Yeongnyu Story Trail” – 8 km walking route with audio guides narrated by senior residents. • “Horse‑Heritage Tales” – seasonal performances at the Uiseong Horse Museum. |
| 2. Time‑Rich itineraries | Designing schedules that allow visitors to savor each activity without rushing. | • “Slow‑Farm Days” – 4‑hour agritourism workshops with rice‑planting and conventional kimchi‑making. • “Sunset Tea Sessions” – evening tea ceremonies at historic hanok houses. |
| 3. Community‑Led Management | Empowering villagers to co‑create and co‑operate tourism services. | • Village‑run “Storytelling Cafés” managed by local families. • Cooperative “Local Guide” certification program for residents. |
| 4. Enduring Infrastructure | Low‑impact facilities that preserve natural and cultural landscapes. | • Eco‑trails built with recycled stone. • Solar‑powered visitor centers and bike‑share stations. |
Signature Story‑Driven Attractions
- Yeongnyu Story Trail
- 8 km loop linking 12 heritage sites (ancient Confucian school, Silla-era dolmen, traditional mud‑brick houses).
- QR‑coded markers deliver audio snippets in Korean, English, and Chinese, recorded by local elders.
- Uiseong Horse Heritage Village
- Interactive “Horse‑Memory Museum” showcases the lineage of the Korean “Uiseong Gallop” horses.
- Seasonal “Folklore Ride” lets tourists experience historic routes while listening to mythic horse‑related stories.
- Agricultural Narrative Workshops
- “From Seed to Table” program follows the full cycle of rice cultivation, integrating stories of the region’s 600‑year farming tradition.
- Participants create a personal “farm diary” that becomes part of the village’s digital archive.
measurable Impacts Since 2021
- Visitor growth: 38 % increase in domestic tourists and 12 % rise in international arrivals (2021‑2025)【2】.
- Economic uplift: Local tourism revenue climbed from ₩84 billion to ₩115 billion, boosting household income by an average of 9 %【3】.
- Employment: Creation of 452 full‑time tourism‑related jobs, 68 % of which are filled by residents of the host villages.
- Cultural preservation: Over 2,300 oral histories recorded; 1,150 archived in the Uiseong Digital heritage Center.
Practical Tips for Travelers
| Tip | How to Apply |
|---|---|
| Plan a “slow day” | Allocate at least 4 hours per attraction; use the official Uiseong mobile app to sync story audio with walking routes. |
| Use local transport | Rent a bicycle from the “Green Pedal Hub” near the visitor center – it includes a guided map of low‑traffic lanes. |
| Participate in workshops | Book agritourism or craft sessions at least 48 hours in advance via the online reservation portal to secure a spot. |
| Respect community rhythms | Follow posted quiet hours in resident‑run Storytelling Cafés (10 pm-7 am) to maintain the slow‑pace atmosphere. |
Case Study: “Yeongnyu Story trail” – From Concept to Award‑Winning Route
- Research Phase (2020‑2021)
- Collaboration with the Gyeongju university Department of Folklore to catalog 57 local legends.
- Community workshops identified 12 stories deemed most resonant for tourists.
- Design & Piloting (2022)
- Prototype trail tested with 150 residents and 200 university students; feedback highlighted the need for multilingual audio.
- Launch & Scaling (2023‑2024)
- Official opening on 15 May 2023; visitor numbers exceeded 20,000 within the first year.
- Integration of AR (augmented reality) elements in 2024 attracted a younger demographic, boosting overall trail usage by 27 %.
- Recognition (2025)
- Cited by the Ministry’s award committee as a benchmark for “story‑driven rural tourism” and a catalyst for the broader “Slow‑Pace Rural Revitalization” program.
Replicability & Lessons for Other Local Governments
- Start with community assets: Conduct participatory mapping to uncover unique stories and traditions before designing tourism products.
- Prioritize pacing: Offer built‑in rest periods, encourage walking/biking, and avoid over‑crowding through reservation systems.
- Leverage technology responsibly: Use QR codes and lightweight AR to enhance narratives without detracting from the natural experience.
- Measure and adapt: Track visitor demographics, spend patterns, and satisfaction scores quarterly; adjust programming based on data.
Future Initiatives (2026‑2028)
- “Seasonal Story Circuits” – rotating narrative routes highlighting spring planting, summer harvest, autumn foliage, and winter lantern festivals.
- Cross‑border collaborations with neighboring counties (e.g., Cheongdo‑gun) for a “Korean Slow‑Tourism Network” that bundles multi‑county itineraries.
- Digital Heritage Expansion – AI‑generated interactive storybooks derived from the recorded oral histories, available in three languages.
Sources
- Ministry of Culture, sports and Tourism, “2025 Rural Tourism Excellence Awards”, May 3 2025, https://www.mcst.go.kr/ruraltourism/award2025.
- Uiseong‑gun Tourism Statistics office, Annual Visitor Report 2025, https://tour.uiseong.kr/report2025.
- Korea Rural development Agency, “Economic Impact of Rural Tourism in North Gyeongsang province”, 2025, https://www.korea-rda.go.kr/publications/2025/rural-tourism-impact.