Welcome Message

I sincerely congratulate you on the 99th Chungbuk International Conference of the Tourism Sciences Society of Korea being held in Chungbuk, the heart of the Republic of Korea, and I extend a warm welcome, together with the province's 1.65 million residents, to everyone who has come to Chungbuk to attend this conference.

I also express my deep appreciation to the officials of the Tourism Sciences Society of Korea and the related organizations who have carefully prepared and operated this conference for its success.

Today, tourism has established itself as a key driver that connects regional culture and industry and brings vitality to the overall economy and quality of life of local residents. Accordingly, tourism policy has expanded into a comprehensive policy domain encompassing job creation, the revitalization of small businesses and commercial alleys, transportation and accommodation infrastructure, the promotion of arts and culture, and even the preservation and utilization of cultural heritage and the natural environment.

Amid these changes, this international conference, held under the theme of the value and role of sustainable tourism, is highly timely and deeply meaningful. I expect it to become a significant international forum where the accumulated achievements of academia and vivid field experience come together to share insight into the rapidly changing tourism environment and to explore actionable policy and practical alternatives.

Chungbuk is an inland region located at the center of Korea and is the only province in the country without a coastline. Yet we have turned this geographic characteristic into an opportunity rather than a constraint, steadily opening new possibilities for inland tourism. Based on our lakes and forests, abundant ecological resources and cultural heritage, and spatial assets where tradition and modernity harmonize, we have consistently pursued a transition toward stay-based tourism and tourism that grows together with local communities. Furthermore, we aim to expand wellness tourism and build a sustainable tourism environment where nature and people coexist in harmony.

Going forward, Chungbuk will further strengthen a cooperative framework in which government, industry, and academia work together so that local festivals and cultural arts content, grounded in the distinct resources and identities of each city and county, can make a practical contribution to daily life and the local economy. Through this, we will work to ensure that tourism does not remain a one-time form of consumption but takes root as a sustainable growth engine for the region.

The growth of the tourism industry is truly sustainable only when it advances together with the quality of life of local residents. Chungbuk will continue to pursue balanced development in which tourism raises the value of the region, its appeal is shared with more people, and its outcomes flow back into the local community.

Finally, I once again extend my heartfelt thanks to the officials of the Tourism Sciences Society of Korea who prepared this conference, and I wish all participants good health and a successful conference. I hope your time in Chungbuk will remain a warm and lasting memory of meaningful academic exchange and of imagining together the future of sustainable tourism.

Thank you.