Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) Holds 'Workshop on Revitalizing Railway-Centered Regional Tourism'

[Financial News] Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) has put its heads together with the government, local governments, and the travel industry to revitalize areas with declining populations and revive the regional economy.
Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL) announced that it held the 'Workshop on Revitalizing Railway-Centered Regional Tourism' at its headquarters in Daejeon on the afternoon of the 9th, attended by approximately 80 officials from 34 organizations, including local governments and travel agencies, as well as six government and public institutions such as the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (MOLIT), the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (MOIS), the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), and the Korea Rural Community Corporation. The event was organized to share the achievements of the 'Local Love Railway Travel' project, a public-private-government partnership, and to explore ways to revitalize local communities by utilizing railway infrastructure.
The 'Local Love Railway Travel' is a train travel package that offers a 50% discount on train fares to revitalize regions experiencing population decline. As of July this year, the cumulative number of passengers has surpassed 470,000, and the resulting economic impact is estimated to have generated a total production inducement effect of 131.8 billion won. In particular, starting from the 1st of this month, convenience for residents in the southeastern metropolitan area has significantly improved as the 50% discount benefit has been extended to passengers using trains arriving at and departing from Suseo Station following the integration of high-speed railways.
On this day, the attendees focused on discussing practical cooperation measures, such as the role of railways in revitalizing local tourism and the expansion of integrated transportation networks.
A local government official attending the workshop said, "The number of visitors to the region has increased significantly since the introduction of railway travel packages," adding, "We will further strengthen the transportation system connecting tourist destinations in the future."
Choi Eun-ju, Executive Vice President of Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), stated, "'Local Love Railway Travel' is establishing itself as a representative tourism product connecting the public and local regions," adding, "We will create a virtuous cycle structure where the railway and the regions prosper together."
Meanwhile, policies to revitalize regional tourism utilizing railways are regarded as a useful strategy to address the crisis of regional decline. This is because, rather than merely limiting visitors to one-time trips, they stimulate consumption activities linked to nearby traditional markets, specialty stores, and local festivals using train stations as hubs, thereby breathing direct vitality into the stagnant local economy.

[email protected] Kim Won-jun Reporter