The number of vacationers who visited beaches on the Gangwon East Sea coast this summer fell 19.1% from last year. The drop is attributed to the economic downturn, heat waves, high waves, and a shift in vacation culture toward hotels and resorts instead of beaches.
Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province said on the 6th that all 85 beaches across six cities and counties on the East Sea coast have closed. Beaches in Goseong, which had remained open until the end, also shut down that day after swimming was fully banned due to high waves.
A total of 6,993,547 vacationers visited beaches on the Gangwon East Sea coast this year. That was down 1,655,342 from 8,648,889 during the same period last year.
By region, Gangneung City had the most at 2,814,466. Yangyang County recorded 1,109,740, up 29% from last year. In contrast, the other five cities and counties all saw fewer visitors.
Goseong County saw the steepest decline. It plunged 60.5% from last year to 844,644. Donghae City fell 22.9%, Sokcho City 16.3%, Gangneung City 8.2%, and Samcheok City 2.4%.
Only Gangneung and Yangyang topped 1 million visitors.
Gangwon Province cited the economic downturn and changes in vacation culture as key reasons. More people chose to spend their holidays at large resorts or hotels rather than on hot beaches. Prolonged heat waves and high swells were also analyzed to have contributed to the decline in visitors.
On the Gangwon East Sea coast this year, Ayajin Beach in Goseong opened first on June 12. After that, 85 beaches across six cities and counties operated in sequence.