2026 Rural Tourism: How Cheongyang County is Revolutionizing Experience-Based Travel in South Korea

[Inews24 reporter Park Jun-pyo] Cheongyang County just scored government backing again for its rural tourism program. Being chosen two years in a row has set the stage to take Cheongyang-style experiential tourism to the next level.

On March 17, Cheongyang County in South Chungcheong Province said the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and the Korea Rural Community Corporation selected it for the 2026 Rural Creatour Support Program.

This is the second consecutive year the county has been chosen. Officials say evaluators highlighted Cheongyang’s unique rural tourism offerings and its strong operational capabilities.

The Rural Creatour program pairs designated rural experience-and-rest villages with private travel experts to create tailored tourism content and support operations, promotion, and marketing.

Last year, working with private tour operators, Cheongyang launched several themed programs. Visits to local rural experience-and-rest villages climbed 16.6% year-over-year, and revenue rose 11.3%.

This year, under the banner Utopia Cheongyang, the county plans experiential offerings that connect seasonal events, local festivals, and key attractions. Key programs include △ emotional treks aimed at Millennials and Gen Z △ a family-friendly stamp tour △ on-site immersive tours for prospective new farmers and rural settlers.

The county will also strengthen ties with major local festivals. Officials plan to link events like the Cheongyang Chili and Goji Berry Festival and the Chilgapsan Ice Fountain Festival with tourism programs to amplify impact, and expand online promotion through social media supporters and influencer partnerships.

A Cheongyang County official said, “Last year’s results helped secure this second consecutive selection. We’ll collaborate with rural experience-and-rest villages to develop more tourism content unique to Cheongyang and expand urban–rural exchanges to boost the local economy.”