Local governments bet on natural recreation forests, competition rate soars to 589:1

Local governments across South Korea are turning to natural recreation forests as a key strategy to boost tourism and revitalize local economies. The number of public forests operated by local authorities has surged by 23% in the last five years, reaching 134 by July, a faster expansion than the 11.6% growth seen in national forests.

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Wonsando Natural Recreation Forest, which has rapidly emerged as a differentiated resting space where you can enjoy both the coast and the forest, will do its best to operate so that it can also contribute to the revitalization of tourism on the west coast.

One prime example is the Wonsando Natural Recreation Forest in Boryeong City, Chungcheongnam-do. Opened in April, it has already expanded its accommodations from 9 to 14 units due to overwhelming demand. With modern facilities and sea views from every room, it consistently operates at full capacity. The lottery system for rooms sees competition rates of nearly 60:1, more than double the national average of 29.5:1. On May 1, during the Taean International Horticultural Healing Expo, one specific room's competition rate soared to an astonishing 589:1.

This trend is statistically evident. Public natural recreation forests saw their annual visitors more than double from 7.31 million in 2020 to 15.8 million last year. In contrast, national forests grew by 28% in the same period, while private forests saw a decline. Platforms like 'Supnadeuri' show that newly opened forests in 2024, such as Wonsando and Myeongwon Starlight Natural Recreation Forest in Cheongju, are fully booked through next month.

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Currently, Seongbulsan Natural Recreation Forest is already popular, making it difficult to book. We are creating it additionally to attract external tourists and revitalize the local economy.

Officials highlight the appeal of these forests, offering affordable stays in natural settings with activities like forest interpretation and woodworking. This makes them particularly popular for family vacations. The success of these forests is seen as a significant contributor to revitalizing tourism along the west coast and boosting regional economies.

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Natural recreation forests are popular with families because they can stay in clean forests at an affordable cost and receive services such as forest interpretation and woodworking experiences through forest welfare experts.