The '2026 Taean International Horticultural Healing Expo,' which drew global attention by putting forward 'horticultural healing' for the first time in the world, has come to a successful close after a 30-day splendid journey. It is evaluated to have raised the paradigm of conventional flower expos to the next level by combining the aesthetics of nature with cutting-edge technology and healing content.

The Taean International Horticultural Healing Expo Organizing Committee (hereinafter referred to as the Organizing Committee) officially announced on the 24th that a cumulative total of 1,831,068 visitors attended the expo, which was held for 30 days from April 25 to May 24. This box-office success surpassed initial expectations, proving that Taean has established a springboard to leap beyond South Korea and become a global center for healing.

Success in Differentiation as a ‘Participatory Healing Platform’ Beyond Mere ‘Viewing’
The biggest success factor of this expo lies in its implementation of a 'participatory healing platform' where visitors can experience and recover through their five senses, breaking away from the past method of simply displaying and viewing flowers and plants.

Various parts of the expo venue were decorated as high-tech horticultural spaces where artificial intelligence (AI) technology and nature harmonized. In particular, programs that recommend tailored gardens according to the visitors' status using AI technology, along with 22 uniquely themed outdoor gardens, drew a continuous stream of visitors day after day. Combined with Taean's boastful, beautiful sea scenery and flowers, the entire venue functioned as one massive natural healing space.

The differentiated content for each exhibition hall was also prominent. The 'Special Pavilion' offered visual healing with spectacular imagery through immersive media art; the 'Healing Agriculture Pavilion' showcased healing programs tailored to the human life cycle; and the 'International Exchange Pavilion' allowed visitors to view unique garden cultures and healing techniques from around the world at a glance. These pavilions established themselves as the core popular content of the expo, driving up visitor satisfaction.

Furthermore, the Organizing Committee organically linked and operated the expo programs with existing local infrastructure and healing resources, such as the Anmyeondo Arboretum, Taean Local Garden, and Marine Healing Center. Through this, they demonstrated to both domestic and international audiences the feasibility of a pioneering 'complex healing tourism model' where visitors can experience horticultural, forest, and marine healing simultaneously.

Driving Local Economic Activation… Creating Hundreds of Billions of Won in Ripple Effects
The 2026 Taean International Horticultural Healing Expo did not end as a one-time event but showed a typical model of a sustainable expo that coexists with the local horticultural and floriculture industries.

Local flower farms and related businesses participated heavily in the creation and operation of the venue, showcasing high-quality floriculture and horticultural resources grown directly in the region to the world stage. In addition, by widely promoting high-value-added content utilizing healing agriculture, smart farm technology, and regional specialized crops to the public, it provided an opportunity to elevate the future competitiveness of local agriculture to the next level.

Attracting a massive number of visitors directly translated into vitality for the local economy. During the expo period, a powerful, all-encompassing ripple effect was observed, with sales surging in local businesses, including accommodations, restaurants, and traditional markets around the Taean area.

According to the final analysis by the Organizing Committee, the total consumption expenditure generated through this expo was tallied at approximately 161 billion KRW. The resulting production inducement effect was estimated at 366.7 billion KRW, the value-added inducement effect at 137.4 billion KRW, and the employment inducement effect recorded at 2,909 people, marking a unique milestone in terms of job creation and local economic boost.

Participation of 36 Countries… Global Potential of Chungnam’s Horticultural Industry Proven
As an international expo where the whole world participated and interacted, the event also firmly established its global status. Thirty-six countries and 151 leading domestic and foreign companies and organizations participated to share trends and promote cooperation in the global horticultural healing industry.

In particular, remarkable achievements were derived during the export consultation meetings held during the expo period, inviting overseas buyers. It bore fruit by signing Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) totaling approximately 9 billion KRW with global buyers in related fields, including floriculture, healing, health, and food. This result proves that the advanced horticultural industry and healing agriculture content of Chungcheongnam-do and Taean-gun possess sufficient commercial competitiveness and expansion potential in the global market.

Flawless Administrative Operation and Praise Highlighting ‘Zero Safety Accidents’
Despite being a large-scale international event drawing massive crowds, the systematic operational system, thoroughly prepared from the planning stage, shone brightly.

Throughout the entire event, the Organizing Committee maintained a close civil-military-governmental cooperative system with related agencies, including the police, fire department, and public health centers. By operating transport, safety, and medical response systems around the clock centered on the general situation room, they achieved a major record of a 'clean and safe expo' without a single major safety accident.

The event also received passing marks in terms of transportation convenience. By organically operating regional shuttle buses between major hubs and the venue, and providing a smart parking system and real-time traffic guide services to efficiently disperse vehicles, severe traffic congestion resulting from the movement of large crowds was blocked in advance.

Praise from those who visited the expo also followed. One visitor remarked in an interview, "Beyond mere visual pleasure, it was a special time to fully comfort my body and mind, which were exhausted from daily life." Family-unit visitors spared no praise, saying, "It was high-quality cultural content that all generations, from young children to elderly parents, could relate to and enjoy together."

Chungnam Declares Fostering Taean as a World-Class ‘International Horticultural Healing City’
Hong Jong-wan, the Acting Governor for Administrative Affairs of Chungcheongnam-do, who attended the closing ceremony, declared in his general review, "This expo was a huge experiment and a success that proved horticultural and natural environments are not just objects of aesthetic appreciation, but can be a powerful future growth engine that changes and heals the quality of modern human life."

Acting Governor Hong continued, "We will not let the precious assets and achievements accumulated over the past month go to waste, but will develop them organically. Based on the achievements of this expo, we will intensively nurture Chungnam and Taean into South Korea's leading and globally recognized 'International Horticultural Healing City,' and continue to expand and build a convergent 4th industrial ecosystem linked with it."

The 2026 Taean International Horticultural Healing Expo, which started with the challenge of being the world's first attempt, brought down its final curtain, catching three birds with one stone: box-office success, economic efficiency, and operational safety. Attention is focused on the future steps of Taean, which has opened a new horizon for future industries by adding technology to the sublime value of healing found in nature.

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