The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Yu In-chon) has announced a public call for resident-led tourism businesses to participate in the ‘Tourism Dure’ project, in collaboration with the Korea Tourism Organization (Acting President Seo Young-chung). The application period will run from April 21st (Monday) to May 22nd (Thursday), aiming to revitalize local tourism based on community initiatives.

‘Tourism Dure’ is a policy initiative designed to support local residents in establishing and sustainably operating tourism businesses in various sectors such as accommodation, food and beverage, travel, experiences, and souvenirs, leveraging the unique characteristics of their regions. Since its inception in 2013, the project has fostered a total of 953 resident-led businesses across 142 regions nationwide by 2024.

This year’s call for proposals includes five newly designated project areas (Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province, Taebaek in Gangwon Province, Dangjin in South Chungcheong Province, Jeongeup in North Jeolla Province, and Hamyang in South Gyeongsang Province), as well as 22 existing project areas. These include Busan (Busanjin-gu, Dongnae-gu, Saha-gu, Suyeong-gu), Incheon (Jung-gu, Dong-gu, Michuhol-gu), Gwangju (Nam-gu, Buk-gu), Ulsan (Dong-gu), Namyangju in Gyeonggi Province, Yeongwol in Gangwon Province, Boeun in North Chungcheong Province, Geumsan in South Chungcheong Province, Hwasun and Jindo in South Jeolla Province, Uiseong, Yeongyang, Cheongdo, and Chilgok in North Gyeongsang Province, and Miryang and Haman in South Gyeongsang Province. The call is open to community groups of three or more residents in these areas who aspire to start a tourism business or require business improvement. Approximately 40 resident-led businesses will be selected through a process involving document evaluation, on-site inspection, and presentation evaluation.

Selected resident-led businesses will receive tailored support totaling up to KRW 110 million over a maximum of five years to help them grow into successful tourism entities representing their regions. The support encompasses various aspects of business development, including entrepreneurship and management training, study tours to successful cases, startup and business consulting, product and menu development support, design improvement, public relations and marketing support, pilot project funding, and legal and tax-related education and consultation. Notably, Tourism Dure PDs (local activity experts) stationed in each region will provide close support throughout the project to address the initial challenges faced by resident-led businesses and ensure their stable growth.

Detailed information about this public call is available on the official Tourism Dure website (tourdure.visitkorea.or.kr/home), the Korea Tourism Industry Portal ‘Touras’ (touraz.kr), and the websites of the relevant local governments. Interested community groups are encouraged to consult with the Tourism Dure PD in their region and submit their applications through the Tourism Dure website by 2:00 PM on May 22nd (Thursday).

A policy official from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism commented, “Tourism Dure is an innovative model that has significantly contributed to the sustainable development of local tourism by empowering local residents to discover the charms of their regions and establish and grow tourism businesses based on them.” The official further emphasized, “We hope that many resident-led businesses with a passion for local tourism and creative ideas will connect with Tourism Dure through this call for proposals and gain new growth momentum. The Ministry will continue to actively support Tourism Dure resident-led businesses so that they can establish themselves as representative brands of their regions.”

This ‘Tourism Dure’ resident-led business contest is significant in that it aims not only to provide financial support but also to strengthen the capabilities of local residents and build a self-sustaining local tourism ecosystem. The unique tourism products and services created by local residents are expected to not only revitalize local economies but also enhance the quality of domestic tourism by providing visitors with richer and more diverse experiences. In particular, the activities of creative resident-led businesses to be discovered in the five newly designated project areas and the 22 existing areas with potential are highly anticipated.