The '2025 Gyeongnam Tourism Expo' recently concluded its successful three-day run from March 20th to 22nd at the Changwon Convention Center (CECO), captivating visitors with the scenic beauty of Gyeongnam's four seasons and a wealth of attractions. Hosted by Gyeongsangnam-do and Changwon City, and organized by K&C Co., Ltd., the event featured participation from 18 cities and counties within the province and 10 regions from both domestic and international locations. With a total of 246 booths, the expo presented a diverse array of tourism content, attracting a total of 10,614 visitors.

The expo garnered significant attention, particularly with the showcase of local spring flower festivals. Character goods featuring local government characters, such as Jinju's 'Hamo,' Gimhae's 'Todeogi,' and Miryang's 'Goodbabi,' received enthusiastic responses.

Yang Hee-joo (48, Sapadong, Changwon City), a visitor, expressed, "While exploring the booths, I decided I must visit the Hwagae Market Cherry Blossom Festival in Hadong this year. I visit the expo every year, and this year's event was especially enjoyable with more diverse experiences and products."

Yangsan City's booth became a notable highlight, featuring Hajinsol, a public relations officer from Yangsan City, who gained popularity through the city's promotional video and even appeared on tvN's entertainment program 'You Quiz on the Block.' Hajinsol engaged with visitors through the 'Beat Hajinsol' content, effectively promoting Yangsan. She stated, "This event served as an opportunity to showcase that Yangsan has many excellent tourist attractions beyond Tongdosa Temple and Hwangsan Park. I hope many people will also visit the Mulgeum Cherry Blossom Festival at the end of this month."

The 'Gyeongnam Art Tourism Four Seasons' planning hall offered visitors a chance to experience the four seasons of Gyeongnam through art. The exhibition featured works inspired by Gyeongnam's seasons, created by artists Park Jun-woo, Heo So-woon, Kim Jung-nam, and Kim Gyu-bi. Yang Hee-joo (44, Jinhae-gu, Changwon City), who viewed the exhibition, commented, "The paintings of flowers, plants, and landscapes conveyed the feeling of each season. The unique and unfamiliar artworks were particularly impressive."

The Gyeongnam Tourist Attraction Photo Exhibition also drew attention, featuring 34 carefully selected works that captured the scenic beauty of Gyeongnam from a pool of 606 submitted entries. At the closing day's awards ceremony, Lim Seong-hwan's 'Jeongchwiam with Flowing Clouds' (Sancheong) won the grand prize, and Kim Young-geun's 'The Ojakgyo Bridge of Gyeonwu and Jiknyeo' (Hapcheon) received the excellence award.

In the '2024 Gyeongnam Tourism Expo Gyeongnam Tourism Development Awards' ceremony, Yoon Dong-hyun from Geochang County Office (county division) and Park Yoon-haeng from Yangsan City Hall (city division) received the grand prize. In the university student supporters awards, Jang Seo-young (Tourism Management, Kongju University), who represented Namhae, won the grand prize, and Ahn Seo-hui (Tourism, Kyungpook National University), who represented Sacheon, received the excellence award.

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