Gyeonggi Western Region Culture and Tourism Council Joint Forum Held

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Choi Gi-ho] The Gyeonggi Western Region Culture and Tourism Council joint forum "V.I.V.A (Valuable, Interesting, Various, All together) Gyeonggi Western Culture and Tourism" was held on the 19th at Seoul National University's Siheung Campus.

The Council is an administrative body consisting of seven cities—Hwaseong, Bucheon, Ansan, Pyeongtaek, Siheung, Gimpo, and Gwangmyeong—that was established in May 2019. The forum was organized to create tourism demand and increase the influx of tourists through enhancing the competitiveness of the Gyeonggi western region's tourism industry.

The mayors of member cities who attended the event proclaimed the Council's vision of "Seven Stars Reflecting the Lives of 4.23 Million People, V.I.V.A Gyeonggi Western Culture and Tourism," which signifies that the lives of the 4.23 million residents in the seven cities of Gyeonggi's western region should be shared through valuable, interesting, and diverse tourism.

Additionally, at the forum, discussions were held with the participation of Jung Gang-hwan, Dean of Pai Chai University's Graduate School of Festival and Tourism (Asia Vice President of the World Festival Association), big data experts, and others. Discussions included the current state of tourism in the seven cities and their development direction, as well as the development of linked tourism projects in the Gyeonggi western region by field—fair tourism, eco-tourism, marine tourism, and night tourism—and joint marketing strategies.

Meanwhile, Hwaseong City plans to intensively pursue projects for tourism development and regional economic revitalization in the Gyeonggi western region as a member city of the Council.

Hwaseong City Mayor Jung Myung-geun stated, "I am grateful for the efforts of the Gyeonggi Western Region Culture and Tourism Council," and added, "I hope that this forum will serve as a major turning point in discovering linked and cooperative tourism projects in the Gyeonggi western region, including Hwaseong City, and in activating the regional economy and achieving mutual prosperity."