Goseong Dinosaur Expo Draws 190,000 Paying Visitors, Generates 5.1 Billion Won in Revenue

A major change was its transformation into an interactive festival

The Gyeongnam Goseong Dinosaur World Expo marked its 20th anniversary and brought its 41-day run to a close.

On the 12th, the Goseong Culture and Tourism Foundation held a press briefing on the Expo's results in the conference room at Goseong County Office. It announced the main achievements of the event, held throughout the Danghangpo Tourist Site under the theme "An Exciting Adventure with Dinosaurs."

Dinosaur Expo Concludes Successfully After 41 Days of Adventure. [Photo courtesy of Goseong County]

The Expo, now in its 10th edition, drew 190,000 paying visitors this year. The biggest change was its transformation into an interactive festival where visitors could do more than simply "look" and instead "run and play."

The Expo significantly expanded hands-on areas, including a floor-art playground, a dinosaur puzzle activity and outdoor fossil-digging experiences. It also expanded "Feeding Dinosaurs," one of its most popular attractions. In partnership with the National Science Museum, it introduced new content to nurture children's scientific imagination, while the popular character attraction "Bebefinn Play Park" helped families spend more time at the event.

Visitor convenience also improved significantly. The Expo eliminated parking fees, which had been a major cause of congestion at the entrance, and provided free parking. QR codes for ticket purchases were installed throughout the venue. Visitors who bought tickets online could enter directly by scanning a QR code without exchanging their tickets for physical ones, significantly reducing wait times at the ticket booths.

Events celebrating the Expo's 20th anniversary also drew attention. Visitors born in 2006, the same year the Expo was launched, received a special discount. The Expo was also named to "Local 100 (100 Regional Cultural Attractions)," earning recognition for its value as a leading cultural asset of the region.

The Expo also strengthened its mutually beneficial relationship with the local economy. It revised the criteria for awarding Goseong Love Gift Certificates, increasing the amount to 15,000 won for purchases of 60,000 won or more and adding a new tier that awarded 5,000 won for purchases of 30,000 won or more. As a result, gift certificates worth approximately 184 million won were circulated in the region.

A visitor satisfaction survey recorded a high score of 4.41 out of 5. Many respondents praised the hands-on activities and improved convenience at the entrance, while some said the food offerings needed further improvement.

Chairman Ha Hak-yeol said, "When I see children who visited the Expo holding their parents' hands 20 years ago now returning to Danghangpo with their own children, I can feel how the Dinosaur Expo has grown over the past 20 years into a festival that connects generations."

He added, "I am deeply grateful to the volunteers and county staff who stayed on site throughout the event, the public officials and foundation employees, and all the residents who supported us. We will carefully reflect visitors' feedback and prepare to establish the Dinosaur Expo as one of South Korea's leading festivals, attracting families from across the country over the next 20 years as well."

The results are proving that Goseong County prepared thoroughly for the Expo and worked to revitalize the local economy. Future countywide or regional events will also be welcomed by residents if they demonstrate that the economy comes first.

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