Rural Tourism Belt Package Tours Piloted to Revitalise Local Communities

Sejong, 21 October 2026 — The Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA) launched trial specialised tour packages based on its rural tourism belt models on 8 October.

In July, the MAFRA completed regional rural tourism belt pilot models linking attractions and experiences across broader geographical areas, beyond individual city and county boundaries. The initiative aims to attract more visitors to rural areas and meet growing demand for overnight and extended-stay tourism.* The Ministry has also developed and distributed guidelines to help local governments establish their own rural tourism belts.

* Share of rural tourism trips involving at least one overnight stay: 27.5% (2020) → 38.5% (2022) → 40.0% (2024). (Source: 2024 Rural Tourism Survey, Rural Development Administration)

** Examples of rural tourism resources: rural experience and recreation villages, traditional Korean alcohol producers, Korean Food Grand Masters, K-Gastronomy Belts, Nationally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems, free-range ecological livestock farms, farm restaurants, rural education farms, healing farms, healing forests, recreational forests, arboretums, and gardens

The MAFRA began offering specially designed tour packages through the Rural Tour Pass platform on 8 October to introduce the rural tourism belt pilot models to the public and give travellers opportunities to experience them firsthand.

The Ministry has developed 11 two-day, one-night group tour itineraries based on the rural tourism belt pilot models. The routes cover Gyeonggi, Gangwon, North Chungcheong, South Chungcheong, North Jeolla, South Jeolla–Gwangju, North Gyeongsang, South Gyeongsang, Jeju, and the East–West Trail (South Chungcheong and North Gyeongsang). Depending on the destination, travellers can enjoy wellness activities in healing forests, recreational forests, and arboretums, or sample local cuisine at farm restaurants, establishments operated by Korean Food Grand Masters, traditional Korean alcohol producers, and rural experience and recreation villages. The packages also include overnight stays and hands-on activities in rural villages, along with visits to local attractions, bringing together diverse experiences in a single trip.

To ensure smooth operations, encourage participation, and facilitate group bookings during the initial trial period, 10 of the 11 packages will depart from Seoul, while participants in the Jeju package will meet at Jeju International Airport. Departures are scheduled twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Detailed itineraries, prices, and reservations are available through Naver Store, Webtour, Very Good Tour, Yellow Balloon Tour, Kyowon Tour, and other sales channels. Visit the rural tourism portal Welchon (https://www.welchon.com) for more information on the pilot models and the Ministry’s related policies.

Meanwhile, the MAFRA designated the second week of each month from March through November as “Rural Tourism Week”* and extended the campaign to cover all of October and November, the peak autumn travel season. The Ministry is also promoting rural tourism through initiatives such as the Rural Tour Pass and the Rural Creative Tour Support Programme, encouraging visitors to stay longer in rural communities and explore more of what they have to offer.

* Rural Tourism Week: A campaign designed to encourage leisure and travel spending in rural areas and stimulate local economies by offering discounts on rural tourism products, promotional events, and other benefits.

Director General Jeon Han-young of the MAFRA’s Rural Policy Bureau said: “Every region has its own distinctive natural landscapes, local foods, and hands-on experiences, offering visitors a wealth of attractions. We designed these rural tourism belt packages to encourage people to discover what each area has to offer, spend more time there, and fully appreciate its unique character.”