Revitalizing Cities Through Community Involvement
To revitalize a city, direct participation from residents yields the most effective results.
Every year, initiatives are undertaken to create areas that attract visitors, with the Tourism Dure program being a notable example.
The Tourism Dure program is a community-led initiative that assists local residents in starting and managing tourism businesses.
Selected businesses receive up to five years of capacity-building training, professional consulting, pilot project operation, and legal and tax support, along with funding of up to 110 million KRW.
Visiting the city hall of Dangjin, located in northern Chungcheongnam-do, we see banners hanging throughout the area and the hustle and bustle of people.
Today, Dangjin is not just an administrative space but is brimming with the excitement of an upcoming large event.
The city has successfully selected five local businesses in the '2026 Tourism Dure Resident Business Contest' organized by the Korea Tourism Organization, achieving one of the highest levels of success among basic local governments nationwide.
A total of 116 businesses from 21 regions participated in this contest, with 48 ultimately selected, five of which are from Dangjin.
The selected businesses are intriguing: Seogok Village Playground, Waemok Experience Center, Garden and Forest Healing Farm, and Hapdeok Workshop in the experience sector, along with Dangjin Gamjatang in the food sector.
This lineup reflects Dangjin's unique identity, encompassing marine tourism, rural experiences, gourmet food, and historical cultural resources.
It's delightful to see how the elements that make up Dangjin are transformed into tourism content.
Additionally, Dangjin plans to expand its resident-led tourism ecosystem by introducing new businesses alongside existing ones like 'Hanti' and 'White Line' selected in 2025.
A regional council will also be established to introduce new businesses and strengthen networks among them.
The first thing that caught my eye at the city hall was the announcement related to the 78th Chungcheongnam-do Sports Festival.
This event will take place from September 3 to 6 at the Dangjin Sports Complex and surrounding areas.
As it is being held in Dangjin for the first time in 20 years, the city's vision of '20 Years of Waiting, Together Running Towards the Future' resonates even more.
In July, a performance called 'Seopyeonje' will also be held in Dangjin.
The scale of this year’s Chungcheongnam-do Sports Festival is significant, with approximately 13,000 athletes from 15 cities and counties in Chungcheongnam-do competing in 32 events.
Recently, a citizen participation event was held in the city hall lobby to commemorate 78 days until the festival, where many citizens enjoyed games and prize events, sharing in the festive atmosphere.
It is impressive that this event is not just for athletes but is being prepared as a festival for all citizens.
The Dangjin Sports Complex, mentioned in previous articles, is the main venue for this festival.
Imagining that the space filled with children's laughter during summer water play will be recharged with the energy of athletes gathering from all over Chungcheongnam-do in autumn truly brings the passage of seasons to life.
As I left the city hall, I felt a connection between two news items.
Traditionally, local tourism has often relied on large-scale development led by the government.
However, the Tourism Dure program allows residents to directly plan and operate products, creating a virtuous cycle where increased tourism benefits the local community.
This transforms the tourism structure of the city.
Adding to this is the long-awaited Sports Festival, which, even though it is a local event in Chungcheongnam-do, will bring many visitors to Dangjin over four days.
It is significant that a festival opened by citizens aligns with tourism created by residents in the same season, making Dangjin feel particularly special right now.
My time at the Dangjin City Hall in July allowed me to glimpse both the summer and autumn of the city.
I am already looking forward to the landscapes that will emerge from the cheers of September and the contributions of residents throughout the seasons.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/dangjin2030/224346191194
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