Hadong County to Link Fall Festivals and Tourism Events in November to Attract Visitors

Tourism experiences and spending incentives tied to the Akyang Daebong Persimmon Festival and Chamsungeo Festival
Tourism check-in events at Samseonggung and Hoenamjae Forest Trail to boost promotion of local attractions

Hadong County in South Gyeongsang Province is launching a tourism promotion campaign throughout November, linking local festivals with major attractions to draw visitors in the fall and boost local spending.

The county said it would pair tourism experiences and spending incentives with major local festivals, including the Akyang Daebong Persimmon Festival and the Hadong King's Green Tea Chamsungeo Festival, and hold tourism check-in events at Samseonggung and along the Hoenamjae Forest Trail.

[Photo provided by Hadong County] A promotional poster for the 2026 Agyang Daebong Persimmon Festival, which Hadong County will host from November 6 to 8 at Pyeongsari Park and its surrounding area in Agyang-myeon. To attract visitors in November, the county will offer various tourism events linked to the Chamsungeo Festival, Samseonggung, and the Hoenamjae Forest Trail.

First, a Hadong County tourism promotion booth will be open during the 2026 Akyang Daebong Persimmon Festival, held from November 6 to 8 around Pyeongsari Park in Akyang-myeon.

On November 7, the county will hold the "Cittaslow Sunday Slow Walk" to showcase Hadong's character as a slow city.

Participants can experience the area's natural scenery as they walk along the riverside trail around Pyeongsari Park. Commemorative T-shirts and tourism souvenirs will be given to event participants.

At the 17th Hadong King's Green Tea Chamsungeo Festival, running from November 13 to 15, the county will hold a receipt verification event to encourage festivalgoers to spend money locally.

Visitors who verify receipts for purchases totaling at least KRW 30,000 during the festival will be entered into a prize drawing. Ten winners will receive round-trip tickets for the Hadong Cable Car, and 100 winners will receive Hadong Sarang gift certificates worth KRW 10,000 each.

The county expects the receipt event to help direct festivalgoers' spending to local businesses and contribute to increased local spending during the event.

An online participation event featuring major tourist attractions will also be held.

From November 9 to 29, the county will run "Find the Autumn Snail!", a tourism check-in event at Samseonggung and along the Hoenamjae Forest Trail.

Participants can find the "Autumn Snail" sculptures installed at the two attractions, take verification photos, and submit their entries through the online event page.

Prizes will be awarded by drawing among entrants. The county will also hold a participation event encouraging people to post their verification photos on their personal social media accounts.

The county plans to use the events to encourage on-site visits while boosting online promotion of the attractions.

The tourism campaign differs from conventional, straightforward tourism promotion in that it separately links on-site festival experiences, local spending, and check-ins at major tourist attractions.

In particular, it combines tourism programs with festivals featuring local specialties, such as the Daebong Persimmon Festival and the Chamsungeo Festival, and promotes autumn destinations such as Samseonggung and the Hoenamjae Forest Trail. The focus is on encouraging visitors to travel around and spend time in the area.

However, to ensure the tourism campaign leads to a tangible boost for the local economy, follow-up analysis will likely be needed on participation numbers, visitor spending, and whether the number of visitors to major attractions increases.

A Hadong County official said, "We plan to introduce Hadong's tourism offerings to visitors through a range of programs linking autumn festivals with local tourism resources," adding, "We will continue to promote tourism to attract visitors and boost the local economy."

Details on the schedules for each event, how to participate, and prize eligibility can be found on the official Hadong County Instagram account and the Hadong County Tourism Instagram account.

The key question is whether events linking festivals and tourist attractions will actually increase visitors' length of stay and spending at local businesses.

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