Hwacheon County in Gangwon Province is planning to revamp the 2027 Ice Country Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival to increase local spending by tourists. The plan includes raising the experience fee for sancheoneo (mountain trout) and expanding nighttime attractions and local vendor participation to enhance the festival's economic impact on the region.
According to Hwacheon County, a new idea presentation meeting for next year's Sancheoneo Festival was held on October 1 at the county office. Based on over 100 proposals from the private sector and various departments, officials discussed ways to improve existing programs, enhance tourist satisfaction, and increase local income.
Concerns about connecting festival attendance to local spending have been consistently raised in the community. Residents and organizations operating booths at the festival have expressed disappointment that tourists enjoy the festival in Hwacheon but spend their money in other areas like Chuncheon. County Mayor Kim Se-hoon has also highlighted this issue since his candidacy.
During this year's Hwacheon Tomato Festival, Mayor Kim emphasized the importance of how much visitors spend locally rather than just the number of attendees. This perspective prioritizes the economic benefits for local businesses and residents. The proposed changes for the Sancheoneo Festival align with this awareness.
The most significant change involves the sancheoneo experience fee and refund structure. The county plans to increase the adult fee from 15,000 won to 25,000 won, while also providing 15,000 won in agricultural product vouchers and Hwacheon Love gift certificates. This year, the general ice fishing experience fee was 15,000 won, with a 5,000 won agricultural product voucher offered.
If implemented as planned, tourists will pay an additional 10,000 won upfront, but they will also receive an additional 10,000 won in vouchers and gift certificates. If fully utilized, the net cost of the experience fee, excluding purchase benefits, will remain the same at 10,000 won. However, since cash refunds are not offered, the actual benefits will depend on usage conditions and participation.
The amount provided per adult paying for the experience will triple compared to previous years. This structure aims to encourage purchases of local agricultural products and the use of Hwacheon Love gift certificate merchants. The actual increase in spending will vary based on usage rates and the extent to which it replaces existing cash expenditures, making it difficult to consider the entire increase in provided amounts as additional revenue. Specific details regarding the distribution amounts, usage locations, and expiration dates of the vouchers and gift certificates were not disclosed in this announcement.
The program is being reviewed to add nighttime attractions and unique experiences to the daytime sancheoneo activities. Suggestions at the meeting included nighttime events utilizing smart media such as lasers and drones, a Finnish-style floating sauna, a large igloo ice café, and an LED lantern event. Proposals for a festival history street, signposts for major cities worldwide, and a sancheoneo thermometer tower were also presented.
If nighttime programs and a lantern street night market are introduced, tourists who finish fishing will have more opportunities to dine and shop locally. The plan aims to broaden the entertainment and spending pathways from the festival site to the city. However, new facilities and events are still in the proposal and review stages, and their implementation and operational methods have not yet been finalized.
Discussions also included expanding local sales participation. A notable proposal is to increase souvenir sales by connecting local craft workshops, artists, and social enterprises. Other suggestions included expanding and relocating agricultural product sales areas, on-site delivery services, meal kit development, and linking online sales of vouchers. These measures aim to reduce the inconvenience of carrying purchased items and broaden sales channels.
There were also suggestions to change the grand prize for the night fishing event from a gold ring to a Hwacheon Love gift certificate and to introduce a delivery service for the lantern street. The county envisions connecting experience fee refunds, prizes, and the sale of souvenirs and food to local spending, thereby expanding income opportunities for farmers and merchants.
Mayor Kim Se-hoon stated, “From the tourists' perspective, we are preparing a festival that is not just about paying more but allows them to enjoy more in proportion to their spending, ensuring satisfaction. We will create a Hwacheon-style circular economy model by increasing the scale of local currency refunds in line with the realistic experience fee.”
The 2027 Ice Country Hwacheon Sancheoneo Festival is scheduled to take place from January 9 to 31, 2027, for 23 days. The Hwacheon Foundation has announced this schedule in its official advertisement for corporate sponsorship.
* This article has been translated by AI.
Copyright ⓒ Aju Press All rights reserved.