Government to Provide 360 Million Won in Subsidies for Island Travelers... 100,000 Won Each for 3,600 Teams

Online Applications Open Tomorrow at 10 a.m.

Travel Subsidies for Two-Day Island Trips in July and August

Receipts Required for Meals, Accommodation, and Other Expenses

The Ministry of the Interior and Safety announced on June 16 that, in celebration of this year's "Visit Islands Year," it will provide up to 100,000 won in travel expense subsidies to visitors traveling to islands between July and August.

Tourists and citizens are moving to board a passenger ferry at the Incheon Port Coastal Passenger Terminal in Jung-gu, Incheon. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

This program aims to turn national interest in island tourism into actual visits and to boost demand for island tourism during the summer vacation season. Eligible recipients are travelers visiting islands that are not connected to the mainland and can only be reached by passenger ship (team-based support). Those who travel to an island for at least two days and one night between July and August will be eligible for partial reimbursement of their travel expenses.

Covered expenses include accommodation, meals, passenger ship fares, and groceries purchased during the stay on the island. Applicants must submit supporting documents such as round-trip boarding passes and receipts. After review, up to 100,000 won will be paid per team.

Applications for travel expense support can be submitted through the official "2026 Visit Islands Year" website from 10:00 a.m. on June 17 until midnight on June 30. If the number of applicants exceeds the available support funds, recipients will be selected by lottery. Detailed information can be found on the official website.

This initiative will also be carried out in conjunction with other programs such as Jeollanam-do's "Half-Price Island Travel" beginning August 29, and the Korea Tourism Organization's "Accommodation Sale Festa" scheduled for September. As a result, travelers are expected to reduce the financial burden of island trips by taking advantage of various discounts and subsidies.

Following the first round of travel expense support during the summer vacation season, the Ministry plans to launch a second round of support in October in connection with the "2026 Yeosu World Islands Expo." Through these efforts, the ministry aims to extend the "Visit Islands Year" campaign into the fall and promote island tourism throughout the year.

Additionally, a series of participatory programs will be rolled out, including a "Visit the Islands You Want to Visit" certification event at 88 designated locations nationwide; the "One Person, One Island" campaign in August and September; a Tinyping program for family travelers with children; and a special exhibition of island specialty products for Chuseok.

Jin Myunggi, Director of the Local Autonomy Innovation Bureau at the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, stated, "We hope that this travel subsidy program will encourage more citizens to visit and stay on the islands and personally experience their unique charm. The government will continue to promote island tourism and stimulate local economies by providing a wide range of support."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.