How to Save Up to 200,000 KRW on Your Spring Trip: Government Travel Support Explained

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Just in time for the spring travel rush, a government program that helps cut trip costs is getting attention. Through its Regional Love Vacation Support program—designed to boost areas facing population decline—the government is offering a bold perk: 50% of travelers’ expenses are refunded as local gift certificates.

The YouTube channel Mom and Dad: Era of Information Independence highlighted the program and picked five spring festivals perfect for a day trip. The channel provides digital and lifestyle tips aimed at parents.

The pilot covers 16 destinations: Pyeongchang, Yeongwol and Hoengseong counties in Gangwon; Jecheon in North Chungcheong; Gochang in North Jeolla; and in South Jeolla, Gangjin, Yeonggwang, Haenam, Goheung, Wando and Yeongam. In South Gyeongsang, participating locations include Miryang, Hadong, Hapcheon, Geochang and Namhae.

How it works is straightforward. If you spend at least 200,000 KRW (about $150 USD) while visiting a participating area, you’ll get 50% of that amount back—up to 100,000 KRW (about $75 USD)—as a mobile regional gift certificate.

For two travelers, spending 400,000 KRW (about $300 USD) or more can qualify you for up to 200,000 KRW (about $150 USD) in support. Just submit your receipts after the trip. The gift certificates can be used like cash at local markets, restaurants and specialty shops through the end of 2026.

Top spring picks start with Yeongwol County in Gangwon, home to the Danjong Cultural Festival. The festival stages a parade that reenacts Joseon-era royal funeral rites, and the area served as a backdrop for the film The King and the Man Who Lives With Him.

Jecheon’s Cheongpung Lake Cherry Blossom Festival in North Chungcheong features a seemingly endless cherry blossom tunnel and an impressive nighttime laser show. In Gochang, North Jeolla, the Green Barley Field Festival lets you wander across a sweeping green plain that covers roughly 230,000 pyeong (about 8.18 million sq ft).

Yeongam’s Wanin Cultural Festival in South Jeolla is officially recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a representative cultural tourism festival. At Hadong’s Wild Tea Culture Festival in South Gyeongsang, you can try picking tea leaves and relaxing in a tea foot bath.

The pilot runs for three months, from April through the end of June. Anyone aged 18 or older can apply, but people who live next to the travel destination are not eligible. Because spots are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, be sure to apply early.

Implementation varies by local government. In Miryang, for example, travelers must obtain a mobile Miryang Love gift certificate before they travel. A Miryang city official explained, \”You can only apply for a refund on purchases paid for with the Miryang Love gift certificate.\”

Refundable expenses include lodging, food and beverages, and attraction admission fees. For more details, watch the Mom and Dad: Era of Information Independence YouTube video.