Discover the Future of Wellness Tourism: Sancheong’s Transformation into a Healing Destination by 2026

Sancheong County in South Gyeongsang Province is ramping up efforts to become a 2026 “wellness tourism city,” and this time the focus is on getting visitors to stay longer. The county is sharpening its mix of nature, health and relaxation offerings to turn quick stops into restorative escapes.

Framed by Jirisan’s Cheonwangbong peak and the Gyeongho River, Sancheong is already seen as a center for anti-aging wellness tourism. Donguibogam Village, the county’s main tourism hub, landed on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Korea Tourism Organization’s “Top 100 Korean Tourist Attractions” list for 2025–2026, boosting its profile as a go-to wellness destination.

This year brings fresh, playful updates: digital enhancements at classic sites like the traditional Korean medicine experience center, plus interactive, mission-style programs such as “Find the Bulocho” aimed at younger travelers and families.

Officials are also fast-tracking an “Ecological Healing Road” to support nature-based recovery. The Daewonsa Valley trail extension is slated for completion in July 2026, while projects for the Baekdudaegan V-Healing Startup Road and the Bammorijae Observatory landscape are underway. Hwangmaesan is getting facility upgrades, too, and is being marketed as a must-see spot for azaleas and silver grass.

To encourage overnight stays, Sancheong is rolling out several incentives. The “Stay One Night in Sancheong!” program reimburses part of visitors’ lodging and local spending in regional currency. The county will also expand a regional city tour program and open pop-up promotion centers to attract more visitors. Along the Deokcheon River, a family-oriented Changchon National Leisure Camping Site is planned.

A year-round festival schedule is another draw. The calendar kicks off with the Jirisan Sancheong dried-persimmon festival and continues with May events like the Hwangmaesan Azalea Festival and the Saengcho Flower-Moss Festival, followed by summer night festivals and the Sancheong Herbal Medicine Festival in October. New initiatives include an ESG trekking event in Jirisan’s Jangdang Valley that pairs plogging with guided forest talks. Namsa Yedamchon, named to the Ministry’s Local 100 list, will host traditional cultural offerings such as stone-wall walking tours, performances and a reenactment of the Taejo edict exhibition.

Lee Seung-hwa, head of Sancheong County, said, “Sancheong is a healing city where nature, traditional medicine and culture come together. We will develop it into a wellness destination where visitors can stay to restore body and mind, and in doing so help revive the local community.”