Hwaseong City Pursues 'West Sea Marine Tourism Belt Construction Plan'

At the 'Second Shinwaseong Forum' held by Hwaseong City, opinions were raised that concrete implementation plans for planning, development, and realization should be prioritized to construct a marine tourism belt, and that improvements to inconvenient public transportation routes and traffic systems for tourists and local residents are the most urgent priority. Additionally, various discussions were held on the establishment of a cultural tourism geographic information system and participation of NGOs in tourism business visions.

The city held the 'Second Shinwaseong Forum' on the 18th at the multipurpose auditorium on the first floor of Songsan Library, attended by approximately 300 participants including Hwaseong Mayor Chae In-seok, Jang An University President Do Jung-dae, Hwaseong City Council Member Kim Hong-sung, Tourism Council Office Director Lee Hee-gu, Gyeonggi University Professor Lee Jae-gon of the Tourism Management Department, local residents, and students from Jang An University's Tourism Management program.

At this forum themed on 'Constructing a Beautiful West Sea Marine Tourism Belt,' Gyeonggi University Professor Lee Jae-gon presented on 'Methods for Revitalizing Tourism Zones - Hwaseong Taking the Lead,' and Siheung Agenda 21 Secretary General Kang Seok-hwan presented on 'Siheung City's Waterfront Ecological Tourism Belt Planning Case and Hwaseong City's Marine Tourism Belt,' followed by vigorous discussions on the future vision of marine tourism for Hwaseong City's construction of a marine tourism belt.

The major proposals presented through this forum include utilizing Hwaseong City's geographic advantages with good accessibility within 50km from the Seoul metropolitan area as leisure time increases and family-oriented tourists grow, activating representative festivals and tourism of Hwaseong, implementing tourism activation policies that minimize damage to the natural environment to prevent the massive budget and time required for recovery of once-damaged natural environments, establishing tourism belt construction plans led by local residents tailored to local circumstances rather than development at the government level, and constructing marine tourism belts from Bibong Artificial Wetland, the starting point of West Coast tourism, through Songsan Grape Farm, Woeumdo Observatory, and West Coast mudflat experience. Various other proposals were put forward as well.

Additionally, citizens participating in the discussion raised questions about the actual development promotion status of USKR and Songsan Green City and requested macro-level discussions on concrete implementation plans at the development stages. One resident from Jeongok Port also proposed increases in bus routes, development of coastal circular trains, and construction of large-scale hotels to boost local economic revitalization through tourism attraction.

Meanwhile, Hwaseong Mayor Chae In-seok emphasized, "Hwaseong City is an undervalued quality investment with abundant limitless growth momentum necessary for urban development, and through forums like this and various opinions and discussions for regional development, efforts to create maximum value are needed."