The Kangjin County in South Jeolla Province is focusing on extending the economic impact of the 4th Kangjin Beer Festival, which opens on the 27th, beyond the festival grounds.
Building on last year's success, which attracted over 75,000 visitors, this year's strategy aims to encourage spending in local restaurants, cafes, lodging, and taxis, thereby enhancing the festival's tangible economic benefits.
According to Kangjin County, the festival will take place from the 27th to the 29th at the Kangjin Sports Complex. This year, adjustments have been made to opening hours, transportation, and vendor operations based on an analysis of last year's performance and consumer data.
Last year's festival drew a total of 75,019 visitors, with the 26 vendors at the festival generating sales of 139.22 million won over the three days.
Indicators of increased spending outside the festival grounds have also emerged.
During the festival period from August 28 to 30 last year, sales in the public delivery app 'Meokgaebi' in the Kangjin area totaled 72.48 million won, marking a 73.5% increase compared to 41.77 million won in the three days prior to the festival. Sales dropped to 51.19 million won in the three days following the event.
Water usage in 125 general and snack restaurants in Kangjin also increased by an average of 5.17% during the festival compared to the average period. Snack restaurants, including cafes, saw an 8.65% rise, with a notable 22.75% increase on the final day.
However, it is difficult to definitively attribute the increase in delivery app sales and water usage directly to the festival's impact on local business revenue. Kangjin County is using this data as supplementary indicators to assess changes in food and beverage consumption and visitor flow during the festival.
A previous survey conducted by a specialized agency during the second festival indicated that 85.6% of visitors were from outside the area. Among the 433 surveyed visitors, 207, or 47.8%, stayed or lodged in Kangjin.
Kangjin County plans to broaden the focus of this year's festival beyond just visitor numbers to include local stay and spending.
The festival's opening time will be pushed back from 4 PM to 5 PM to reduce outdoor activities during peak heat and allow visitors to utilize local restaurants and cafes before heading to the festival. The closing time will remain at 9 PM.
Transportation will also connect to local businesses. For the first time, shuttle taxis will operate between Kangjin Station and the festival site, and taxi stands will be relocated from outside the festival grounds to inside the entrance of the Kangjin Sports Complex.
The shuttle bus service, which began last year, will continue to operate through the CNS 2nd Apartment commercial area, allowing festival-goers to easily access local restaurants and bars after performances.
The number of vendors at the festival has been reduced from 26 last year to 18 this year. All 10 food vendors are local businesses in Kangjin. This decision aims to minimize revenue dilution from an increased number of vendors and to consider menu overlap and visitor demand.
A free camping area will not be operated this year. Last year, 60 teams were accommodated over three days, but this year the focus is on directing the demand for external tourists' stays to local lodging facilities.
Sales booths for agricultural products have also been excluded. Last year's sales of agricultural products during the festival totaled only 1.18 million won over three days, and feedback from participating vendors indicated that the festival's focus on nighttime performances and food and drink consumption limited the effectiveness of such sales.
After the festival, Kangjin County will conduct an evaluation by a specialized agency to analyze visitor stay and lodging status, changes in local business consumption, and vendor sales.
Kang Jin-won, the county mayor, stated, “The success of the Beer Festival cannot be judged solely by sales and visitor numbers at the festival site. We will comprehensively consider heat response, transportation convenience, movement to local businesses, and lodging connections to ensure the festival operates effectively and to closely monitor its impact on revitalizing the local economy.”
The 4th Kangjin Beer Festival will be held from the 27th to the 29th at the Kangjin Sports Complex, operating daily from 5 PM to 9 PM, featuring beer, performances, food, and experiential programs.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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