Gyeonggi Province Certifies Seven New "Wellness Tourism Destinations" Including Hwaseong Maehyang-ri Peace Memorial Hall

Gyeonggi Province has newly designated seven locations, including the Hwaseong Maehyangri Peace Memorial Hall, as "wellness tourism destinations." With this designation, the total number of wellness tourism destinations in the province has increased to 22, including the 15 sites certified last year.

According to Gyeonggi Province, the Gyeonggi Province Wellness Tourism Advisory Committee convened on the 13th, reviewing 14 candidate sites across 10 cities and counties, and ultimately selected seven locations for new certification: Hwaseong Maehyangri Peace Memorial Hall, Beomnyunsa Temple in Yongin, Aqua Field in Hanam, Gana Art Park in Yangju, Yeoju Moga Museum & Hwanghaksan Arboretum, and Yangpyeong Health Tour Center. The announcement was made on the 18th.

Hwaseong Maehyang-ri Peace Memorial Hall

Wellness tourism is a concept that combines "wellness"—meaning wellbeing, fitness, or happiness—with tourism. It refers to travel activities aimed at restoring and healing the body and mind. Alongside MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) and medical tourism, it has recently drawn attention as a high value-added tourism industry. Earlier, in April this year, the government enacted the "Healing Tourism Industry Act."

The Hwaseong Maehyangri Peace Memorial Hall is a space that reinterprets the historical scars experienced by residents due to the U.S. Air Force shooting range as values of peace and restoration. Its unique features include sound walk programs that utilize the surrounding natural environment and architecture.

Beomnyunsa Temple in Yongin is a religious and cultural space where visitors can experience meditation and emotional rest through temple cuisine and templestays. In particular, its seasonal temple cuisine healing programs, which utilize fresh, in-season ingredients, are a key highlight.

Yeoju Moga Museum

Hanam Aqua Field, Yangju Gana Art Park, Yeoju Moga Museum and Hwanghaksan Arboretum, and Yangpyeong Health Tour Center have also been included as wellness tourism destinations, recognized for their programs and tourism resources centered on healing, art, nature, and wellness.

Gyeonggi Province plans to provide these tourism sites with expert-tailored consulting, capacity-building training, and domestic and international promotional support. It will strengthen content and operational capabilities tailored to each site’s characteristics to help them be selected as "Korea’s Outstanding Wellness Tourism Destinations."

Park Raehyuk, Director of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "We expect that the newly certified destinations will further enrich the appeal of wellness tourism in Gyeonggi Province. By enhancing content that brings out the uniqueness of each site, we will work towards ensuring that domestic and international visitors can relax and be rejuvenated in Gyeonggi Province, and that this increased influx and longer stays of tourists will help stimulate the local economy."

Gyeonggi Province officially launched the wellness tourism activation project last year, certifying 15 tourism sites for the first time. With the addition of seven sites this year, the province plans to foster wellness tourism content tailored to regional characteristics and build a sustainable tourism model that expands visitor stays and revitalizes local commercial districts.

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