Inje County to Host a Series of National Sports Events This Winter, Attracting 2,900 by Year-End

Tennis, basketball, badminton, and kendo competitions to be held
Bringing vitality to local businesses during the off-season

Inje County, Gangwon Province, is bringing vitality to the local economy during the tourism off-season by hosting a series of national-scale sports competitions and training camps this winter.

A view of Inje County Office.

Inje County announced on November 1 that 2,900 people, including athletes, are expected to take part in national competitions and winter training camps in November and December. The county expects visits from competition participants and extended stays by training teams to generate spending at accommodations, restaurants, and other local businesses.

Tennis, basketball, and badminton competitions will be held one after another in November. The 2026 Tecnifibre Cup National Junior Tennis Tournament, with 500 participants, will take place from November 6 to 9 at Inje Tennis Courts and Wontong Tennis Courts. The 2026 Basketball i-League Championship, with 600 participants, will be held on November 14 and 15 at the Inje Multipurpose Gymnasium.

The 2026 Presidential Cup National Badminton Championships will be held on November 21 and 22 at four gymnasiums, including Inje Gymnasium. A total of 1,000 participants are expected from across the country.

Competitions and training sessions will continue in December. The first qualifying round of the 2027 Gangwon Province Kendo Tournament for the National Youth Sports Festival, with 200 participants, will be held on December 5 and 6 at Wontong Gymnasium. The 28th Haneulnaerin Inje County Mayor's Cup National Kendo Tournament, with 500 participants, will take place on December 12 and 13.

A 100-member junior team from the Badminton Korea Association will hold a 14-day winter training camp in Inje from December 10 to 23.

According to the county, 55 sports competitions were held in Inje from the beginning of this year through the end of October. A total of 37,350 athletes, event staff, supporters, and others visited the area. The county estimated the direct economic impact at approximately KRW 9 billion and the indirect economic impact, combining the production inducement and value-added inducement effects, at approximately KRW 25 billion.

Building on its sports facilities and experience hosting competitions, the county plans to attract more national competitions and identify demand for training camps tailored to the characteristics of each sport.

Kim Eunhee, head of Inje County's Sports and Youth Division, said, "Winter is a time when general tourism demand tends to decline. We expect to generate steady consumer demand for local businesses, including accommodations and restaurants, by consistently hosting sports competitions and attracting training camps."

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