The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young, hereafter MCST) and the Ministry of the Interior and Safety (Minister Yoon Ho-jung, hereafter MOIS) announced that they will jointly run the “Rising Star of Korea Tourism” contest — officially the Regional Tourism Innovation Idea Competition — for local governments nationwide from July 21 to Oct. 20. The policy idea competition is aimed at responding to the crisis of regional population decline and injecting new vitality into local economies through the tourism industry, and is open to both upper- and lower-tier local governments across the country.
 [The Korean Today] Illustration depicting the article’s content (AI-generated) © Reporter Kim Mi-hee |
The contest is the first joint project put forward by the two ministries’ Regional Tourism Policy Council, which was officially launched on July 16. As the initiative came just five days after the council’s launch, it is seen as reflecting the two ministries’ shared commitment to addressing the regional population decline crisis through tourism.
The competition is divided into four categories, and applicants may apply to more than one. They are: “Tourism Product Innovation,” which seeks differentiated content and services that make use of local tourism resources, culture and technology; “Tourism Consumption Promotion,” which aims to revitalize local economies by directing tourist spending toward local merchants and tourism businesses; “Restoring Tourism Trust,” which seeks to eliminate negative visitor experiences such as price gouging and unfriendly service and to build a fair and transparent tourism environment through initiatives such as the Tourism Saemaul Undong (New Village Movement); and “Tourism Income Villages,” which fosters villages where residents directly participate in operating tourism businesses and receive a continuous share of the profits. The Tourism Income Villages category covers not only the creation and discovery of new villages but also plans to expand and upgrade existing tourism businesses or village operating models to fit the Tourism Income Village concept. Cooperation between local governments, public-private partnerships with local businesses, universities and young people, and whether an applicant is a population-declining region will all be given extra points in the evaluation.
The government plans to select 13 local governments through the contest. The Grand Prize will go to one upper-tier and one lower-tier local government each; the Top Prize will go to two upper-tier and two lower-tier local governments; and the Excellence Prize will go to seven lower-tier local governments. Financial incentives will be provided to the selected local governments, with specific amounts to be finalized and announced later. Local governments that translate their proposed ideas into actual policy and achieve results will also be given the special privilege of advancing directly to the final round of the 2027 “Star of Korea Tourism” awards. Evaluation will take place from October to November, with results announced and awards given in December.
Alongside the launch of the “Rising Star of Korea Tourism” contest, the “Star of Korea Tourism” awards — the country’s leading tourism awards ceremony, hosted by MCST and organized by the Korea Tourism Organization since 2010 — will also be expanded and reorganized. The two award programs differ in nature. While the “Star of Korea Tourism” is a results-oriented program that recognizes outstanding tourism resources, individuals or organizations for their achievements over the course of a year, the “Rising Star of Korea Tourism” is distinct in that it provides support throughout the entire process, from the initial stage when a local government drafts a policy idea to the point where it grows into an actual outstanding policy.
The prestige of the “Star of Korea Tourism” awards will also be elevated starting this year. The “Tourist Destination of the Year” category, which had previously been given as an MCST Minister’s Award, will be upgraded to a Prime Minister’s Award, the top honor. Accordingly, the awards will consist of one Prime Minister’s Award (4 million won) and nine MCST Minister’s Awards (2 million won each), and winning entries will also receive promotional support through Korea Tourism Organization channels. Nominations will be accepted from local governments, tourism experts and others from July 21 to Aug. 7, with evaluation taking place from August to November and results announced and awards given in December. The awards ceremony is scheduled to be held together with the “Rising Star of Korea Tourism” ceremony.
The awards cover three sectors and 10 categories: “Tourist Destinations and Content,” “Tourism Policy and Services,” and “Tourism Marketing.” In the Tourist Destinations and Content sector, five categories will be selected: “Tourist Destination of the Year,” given to a representative tourist site with symbolic significance, strong achievements and sustainable operating capacity; “Promising Tourist Destination,” for sites opened within the past three years that show growth potential; “Barrier-Free Tourist Destination,” for sites that have secured accessibility for people with disabilities, older adults, children and other visitors with mobility needs; “Eco-Friendly Tourist Destination,” for sites operated in an environmentally friendly manner; and “Region-Specific Content,” for festivals and experience programs that make use of unique local resources. In the Tourism Policy and Services sector, three categories will be selected: “Regional Win-Win Tourism Model,” for models that create mutual benefits such as job creation through cooperation with local communities; “Innovative Tourism Policy,” for policies with confirmed operating results and ripple effects; and “Innovative Service for National Travel Experience,” for services that enhance travel convenience and satisfaction. In the Tourism Marketing sector, two categories will be selected: “K-Content that Promoted Korea,” for dramas, films, K-pop and other content that has promoted Korea’s cultural and tourism appeal; and “Regional Tourism Branding,” for branding that conveys a region’s unique story.
Kang Jung-won, director general of MCST’s Tourism Policy Bureau, said, “Through this collaborative project, which the ministry and MOIS are pursuing together for the first time, we will actively support the realization of creative tourism policy ideas from local governments that shine like rising stars, so that they can establish themselves as ‘stars’ representing Korea’s tourism and the hope of local communities.” They added, “We especially look forward to fresh and innovative policy proposals and active participation from the newly launched ninth popularly elected local governments, which are full of enthusiasm for regional development.” Song Kyung-ju, director general of MOIS’s Local Finance and Economy Bureau, also said, “Tourism and the local economy have an inseparable, mutually beneficial relationship and are a core pillar of regional vitality.” They added, “As the two ministries envision a future of building ‘attractive, vibrant and fun local regions’ that draw people in and make them want to stay, we hope this competition will help uncover fresh tourism resources that awaken each region’s unique appeal and become a real driving force in opening a new era for local regions.”
[ Reporter Kim Mi-hee: incheonsouth@thekoreantoday.com ]
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