- Incheon offering a wider variety of staycation products on its islands with more benefits -

- Goal is to boost local income with increased demand, and give tourists a unique experience -

Incheon is hoping to boost local tourism using a wider variety of island staycation products and more benefits with its “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program.

Incheon Metropolitan City (Mayor: Yoo Jeong-bok) announced that it launched its new “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program on May 29, starting with a 3-day package that takes tourists to either Sindo, Sido, Modo, or Jangbongdo Island.

With the addition of Jumundo Island in Ganghwa-gun and Seungbongdo Island, Soyado Island, and Yeonpyeongdo Island in Ongjin-gun to the list of available destinations, the number of products featured in the City’s island staycation program has gone from ten last year to fourteen in 2023. Incheon says its goal is to bring in 2,000 tourists to its islands this year.

As an immersive tourism program, “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” uses islands scattered across the City’s coastline to give travelers a great time not only with the resources available on each island, but also with the local inhabitants. This year, the program celebrates its third year (originally started back in 2021).

In 2022, just over 600 tourists made their way to the islands of Soijakdo, Deokjeokdo, Boleumdo, Jangbongdo, Sindo, Sido, Modo, Baengnyeong/Daecheongdo, and Jawoldo. A satisfaction survey proved just how good the program was with an average score of 4.45 out of 5 stars.

For 2023, Incheon has added products to Sindo, Sido, Modo, Jangbongdo, Deokjeokdo, Soyado, Yeonpyeongdo, Baengnyeongdo, Daecheongdo, Jawoldo, and Soijakdo across Onjin-gun, and has more islands lined up for the second half of the year. As for Ganghwado Island, the City is offering trips to Boreumdo and Jumundo.

This year’s “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program will feature new and interesting programs as well, including a “Milky Way” program led by an expert on space and the Milky Way, “Island Village Tour” and “Dadeumijil” programs involving local islanders, a “Fishing at Sea” program that takes travelers on board a boat captained by the village foreman to enjoy some fishing and fresh sashimi, a “Clear Kayak and Paddle Boat” program that lets people paddle around in the clean island waters, a “Cycling” program to enjoy the island view, a “Mudflat Activities” program, and an “Ocean Quahog Digging” program.

Meanwhile, the City is upping its subsidies available for the “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program to up to 50% this year, which means travelers can save much more money on their trip to Incheon’s islands.

Proceedings from the “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” all go to local islanders, and subsidies are designed to encourage travelers to use local accommodations and restaurants. Moreover, programs available on each island are led by the locals, which serves as another source of income for the people who live on the islands.

The “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program kills two birds with one stone - it brings more income to the islanders and it delivers entertaining and relaxing experiences to travelers spending time on the City’s islands.

Yoon Hyeon-mo, Director of the Maritime and Aviation Bureau of the City of Incheon, said, “Incheon will do its best to work with Ganghwa-gun, Ongjin-gun, and the Incheon Tourism Organization to ensure the success of the ‘Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands’ program. We will continue to promote our islands to potential travelers across the country, and by doing so, we’re hoping to bring more income to locals and advertise our islands.”

The “Living on Incheon’s Treasure Islands” program starts on May 29 (ends when the budget is exhausted). For more information on products, please visit the official blog on Ongjin-gun’s islands (https://blog.naver.com/incheondodolife). The official website to help you plan your trip to Ganghwa-gun’s islands is expected to open in June.

□ First batch of islands in Ongjin-gun available for the program

*Products to islands in Ganghwa-gun coming by the end of June
❍ Program details (draft)

* Discount up to 50% of the product price

❍ Main programs (draft)