Gyeongsangbuk-do to reform 46 tourism sites facing deficits

Gyeongsangbuk-do province has announced a major policy overhaul to address chronic deficits and declining visitor numbers within its ‘Three Cultural Zones’ project. The initiative involves a comprehensive diagnosis of 46 business sites located across 22 cities and counties in the region.

The Three Cultural Zones project, a national initiative implemented between 2010 and 2021, aimed to utilize Confucian, Silla, and Gaya cultural heritage and ecological resources to expand regional tourism. Despite previous efforts to improve facilities and promotion, many sites have faced structural challenges.

The province will implement a three-stage plan: diagnosis, structural improvement, and self-reliance/performance management. A diagnostic system will be established this year, with specific structural improvement plans expected by 2027 to transition sites toward self-sustaining operational models. To manage this, the province is forming a ‘Great Transformation Execution Council’ involving local governments and research institutes, alongside a committee of private experts.