Chicken dishes give wings to Chuncheon tourism, fuel local economy

CHUNCHEON, a city in Gangwon Province, is renowned for its chicken dishes, particularly the stir-fried and grilled dish called dakgalbi. The city has attracted visitors from all over the country who come to enjoy local eateries specializing in this dish. To further promote domestic tourism, the Chuncheon city government, in collaboration with KORAIL Tourism Development and the Korea Food Promotion Institute, has introduced a tourism package centered around the city's famous chicken dishes.

The K-Chicken Belt, a certified list of 552 restaurants and venues featuring chicken dishes in 30 cities, was unveiled by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in June. This initiative aims to link the city's culinary appeal with popular tourist attractions, thereby boosting the local economy. The tourism package, available for a brief period in October through KORAIL's tourism package online sale platform, offers a diverse range of experiences.

Included in the package are meals with dakgalbi, grilled barbecue chicken, makguksu (buckwheat noodles), fine-dining restaurants, and other local experience spots. This strategic marketing of Chuncheon's chicken dishes not only highlights the city's unique culinary heritage but also serves as a catalyst for the revival of domestic tourism.