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The Seoul Metropolitan Government is considering designating the
Chonggyechon stream and its surrounding Chongno-gu as a special tourism
district early next year to capitalize on the rising number of visitors to
the newly restored stream.
 The envisioned tourism zone will cover an area of 146,700 pyong or
484,110 square meters to the north of the Chonggyechon stream, becoming the
fourth special tourism district in Seoul.
There are currently three special tourism zones in the city to draw more
tourists to downtown areas _ Tongdaemun shopping district, Myongdong and
Namdaemun tourism district and Itaewon tourism district.
A Seoul City official said that the city will likely designate the area
next March after its tourism promotion committee studies a plan submitted by
the Chongno-gu office.
To be designated as a special tourism zone, the area should attract more
than 100,000 visitors a year and be equipped with the necessary
infrastructure such as shopping districts, tourism information centers,
entertainment and lodging facilities.
The city plans to set up more tourist information centers along the
Chonggyechon stream and sell souvenirs next year.
It will also provide financial assistance to businesses organizing
various promotional events and improving tourism infrastructure, while
establishing a special tourism district council to more effectively
coordinate efforts to attract tourists.
The city official said that the number of foreign tourists visiting the
newly restored stream is on the rise since it opened to the public on Oct.
1, adding that more visitors will flock to the stream and surrounding areas
with the designation of the special tourism zone.
The restoration project undertaken by the Seoul City government took
three years and cost over 370 billion won ($355 million) after being covered
with concrete for about half a century.
The stream attracted nearly 800 foreign tourists during the Oct. 1-3
opening festival, according to travel agencies.
Recognizing the Chonggyechon’s potential to become a tourism hub for
foreign travelers, a number of travel agencies have introduced new tour
programs to attract more foreigners who want to visit the stream.
Seoul City said that the number of foreign tourists signing up for the
city’s free walking-tour programs along the Chonggyechon stream have
increased significantly since the festival.
It also said that more than three million Koreans visited the stream in
the first 10 days after opening, and the number is rising.
In cooperation with the Korea Tourism Organization, the city plans to
strengthen its tourist information services and add more facilities at the
end of the downtown stream near the Dong-A Ilbo building on Sejongno.
The state-run tourism promotion agency also plans to build an outdoor
stage in front of its headquarters, located near Chonggyechon, to host a
variety of culture programs for tourists.
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