폭염에 해수욕장도 피했나?…동해안 바다 피서객 190만명 감소

This summer, the number of visitors to coastal resorts along Gangwon-do's eastern coast dropped by nearly 190,000 compared to last year, according to data from the region's 'Resort Management Report'. In this trend, the island of Yeongyang stood out with an increase. The 'Resort Management Report' for this year shows that the 85 coastal resorts in six cities and counties along the eastern coast had a total of 6,538,881 visitors by July 18, falling short of last year's 8,419,978 visitors by 188,297 (22.4%).

Among the resorts along the eastern coast, Geoseong-gun recorded the steepest decline, dropping 75,780 visitors (63.9%) to 134,338 (75,780) compared to the same period last year. Next was Donghae City, which saw a 19,649-person (22.9%) decline to 66,849 (66,849) visitors. Even the iconic resort in Gangneung, Hyeop-dong Beach, could not escape the trend, with visitor numbers dropping 48,569 (15.8%) to 258,120 (258,120).

Beyond the decline, other cities like Sunchon and Samcheok also saw significant drops. Despite the attention drawn by the increased road network due to the expansion of the Seoul-Yeongyang highway, the decrease in visitor numbers along the eastern coast has been attributed to the severe heat. Kim, a leader at the Geoseong-gun's tourism management department, explained that severe weather and heat waves caused longer and more stringent maintenance periods for water safety, leading to fewer visitors seeking the beach.

He also noted that adverse weather has caused visitors to spread out to mountainous areas, resort resorts, and indoor water play facilities. In Geoseong-gun, visitor numbers fell by 75,780, the largest drop in the region. Meanwhile, Yeongyang, for the first time this year, surpassed 100,000 visitors, an increase of 26,324 (34.5%) compared to last year.

The growth in Yeongyang can be attributed to the opening of three large accommodation facilities in the newly opened night-time beach, free parking, and expanded infrastructure around the beach. Yeongyang's resort management team leader, Kim, noted that aside from some areas around Nam-e and Naye, visitor numbers dropped at other beaches due to the impact of the heat.

However, he emphasized that thanks to the efforts of residents and shop owners, Nam-e Beach and nearby areas have become more family-friendly, leading to increased visits despite the weather.