Recognized for driving regional tourism — picked for the DMO grant two years running
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization named the Goseong Cultural Tourism Foundation an outstanding DMO in the final performance evaluation of the 2025 Regional Tourism Management Organization (DMO) support program on the 8th.
The DMO support program, run by the ministry and the Korea Tourism Organization, systematically identifies and develops local tourism assets, builds cooperative networks with private tourism businesses, and boosts regional competitiveness. It goes beyond basic promotion and marketing by developing unique local tourism content and strengthening the skills of stakeholders to create a sustainable tourism ecosystem.
The foundation earned the outstanding DMO designation thanks to the results of two flagship projects it ran last year. The first, the Dinosaur Nation Universe project, transformed Goseong’s signature dinosaur heritage into tourism soft products—merchandise designs, food-and-beverage recipes, and more—and rolled them out to visitors. The second, the Goseong Marketing Booster project, strengthened local businesses’ promotional capabilities and built a network among tourism operators to increase online visibility and extend visitor stays. Both initiatives were praised for practically strengthening the local tourism ecosystem using Goseong’s unique assets.
The recognition has also produced concrete benefits. Based on this evaluation, the foundation was selected again for the DMO competitive grant this year, securing national funding two years in a row. That support will allow the Goseong Cultural Tourism Foundation to step up efforts to revitalize tourism in Goseong.
Building on the groundwork established in the first year, the foundation plans phased growth-support programs to raise the capabilities of local tourism businesses. It will also launch a dinosaur-brand activation campaign to broaden the brand so people of all ages can enjoy it.
An official from the Goseong Cultural Tourism Foundation said, "Being named an outstanding DMO is a valuable recognition of the work we and local tourism businesses have done over the past year to develop Goseong's tourism assets. This year, we'll work with local tourism partners to achieve even greater growth."
Gyeongnam — Reporter Jeong Do-jeong sos6831@viva100.com
