Crew members from the Chinese global cruise line Adora Cruises experienced key tourist attractions in Gwangju, South Korea, confirming the competitiveness of local tourism offerings.
On August 1, the Gwangju Metropolitan City invited crew members from the Adora Magic City, which docked at Yeosu Port, for a familiarization tour aimed at developing shore excursion programs in the Jangheung and Boseong areas.
This familiarization tour was designed to identify shore excursion products that reflect the preferences of international cruise tourists and to gather feedback from cruise line representatives to enhance product appeal.
Participants visited the 'Jungnamjin Jangheung Water Festival,' a major summer event in Jeonnam, where they engaged in various experiential programs and festival activities. They also toured the Boseong green tea fields, taking in the natural beauty and key tourist resources of the region.
Crew members expressed high satisfaction with the experiential tourism content and the unique natural environment, noting significant potential for developing seasonal shore excursion products.
Based on the results of this familiarization tour, Gwangju Metropolitan City plans to continuously develop tourism content that reflects the travel preferences and latest trends of cruise tourists. They aim to expand customized shore excursion programs that integrate culture, nature, and festivals to attract international cruise visitors.
Yeosu Port, in particular, is rapidly establishing itself as a hub for marine tourism on the southern coast, with a significant increase in international cruise arrivals. This year, Yeosu Port is expected to host a total of 24 cruise calls, bringing in approximately 65,000 visitors. By the end of June, 25,000 tourists had already visited Yeosu through nine cruise calls, marking the highest number of international cruise arrivals since the port opened. This surge is raising expectations for the recovery of the cruise tourism market and revitalization of the local tourism industry.
Choi Young-joo, head of the Gwangju Metropolitan City Tourism Bureau, stated, "This familiarization tour was a meaningful opportunity to showcase Gwangju's diverse tourism resources to representatives of overseas cruise lines and confirm the competitiveness of shore excursion programs. We will continue to strengthen cooperation with international cruise lines and focus on strategic tourism marketing and content development to expand cruise calls and attract foreign tourists."
Meanwhile, Gwangju Metropolitan City plans to accelerate the development of stay-type tourism products that link local festivals with cultural, ecological, and culinary tourism in response to the growing demand for international cruise tourism, particularly centered around Yeosu Port.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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