Iksan Shifts to ‘Stay-Type’ Rural Tourism to Revitalize Local Communities

Visitors participating in rural tourism programs in Iksan.

Iksan-si is moving beyond conventional short-term rural tourism by launching a new 'stay-type' initiative that integrates festivals, long-term accommodation, and youth employment opportunities. This strategy aims to encourage visitors to spend more time in Iksan-si, ultimately boosting local agricultural consumption and farm household income while bringing new energy to rural areas.

Shifting the Paradigm to Stay-Type Rural Tourism

Iksan-si announced during a regular briefing on the 9th that it plans to expand support for local experiences, lodging, and transportation to encourage tourists to stay longer in rural areas and consume regional specialties. The city aims to broaden the participation of rural tourism operators and transform the industry’s paradigm by linking regional festivals with rural travel programs, such as the 'Rural Creatour Support Project,' creating a structure that allows visitors to deeply explore the diverse charm of the countryside.

Success of Summer Camps and Stronger Ties to Autumn Festivals

Previously, Iksan-si successfully operated two three-day, two-night summer camps for over 200 visitors from the Seoul metropolitan area and other regions. Participants stayed in rural experience villages, enjoying activities like water play, nightly campfires, and barbecue parties, which highlighted the appeal of rural stays. Building on this success, the city plans to introduce customized travel packages this autumn that coincide with major local festivals. By guiding visitors attending events like the Horror Hologram Festival, NS Food Festa, the Million Chrysanthemum Festival, and the Kimchi-making Festival toward local rural accommodations and everyday village activities, the city hopes to maximize local stay durations and non-farming income.

Pilot 'Rural Work-Travel Youth Working Holiday' to Attract Young Visitors

Notably, Iksan-si is expanding its target demographic to include young people by operating the 'Rural Work-Travel Youth Working Holiday,' a pilot program organized by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, starting this month. The program is designed as a 'stay-type' experience that blends work, holiday, and community engagement. A total of 20 young participants can choose between short-term (three days/two nights), medium-term (two weeks), or long-term (one month) stays. These participants will help with rural tasks such as supporting smart farm operations, harvesting crops, and handling the processing and distribution of agricultural products. Simultaneously, they will use their professional skills—such as SNS content creation, design, photography, and village archiving—to inject youthful vitality into the local community. The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs plans to evaluate the demand for and effectiveness of rural stays among youth based on these pilot results from Iksan-si to develop a national standard model for a full-scale project by 2027.

Encouraging Interaction and Meaningful Local Consumption

Kim Moon-hyuk, Director of the Bio-Agricultural Policy Bureau at Iksan-si, emphasized, "Rural tourism is not just about increasing the number of visitors; the core is how long they stay, how they engage with local farmers, and whether that leads to tangible consumption." He added, "By successfully leading these autumn festival-linked trips and the youth working holiday, we aim to transform the rural areas of Iksan-si into vibrant spaces where people visit, stay, and eventually settle down."