Wando County Mayor Shin Woo-chul presents the county's tourism development strategy during an event marking the designation of 2025 as the "Year to Visit Wando" at a hotel in Seoul, Friday. Courtesy of Wando County

Wando County in South Jeolla Province has designated 2025 as the "Year to Visit Wando" as part of its initiative to transform into a premier coastal wellness tourism destination.

County officials hosted an event at a hotel in Seoul on Friday, unveiling their plans to attract 10 million tourists. The gathering aimed to showcase the initiative and boost tourism in the region.

As part of the campaign, the county aims to promote coastal wellness tourism and expand its stay-based tourism offerings.

It will launch a range of promotional and marketing initiatives, including incentives for both self-planned travelers and group tours, and establish special travel weeks to attract visitors from domestic and international markets.

Major events are already scheduled, including the Cheongsan Island Slow Walking Festival in April, the Jang Bogo Seafood Festival, the General Assembly of the Cittaslow Network attended by representatives from 300 cities worldwide and the celebrations for Island Day, all of which are expected to attract large international crowds.

To amplify the campaign's outreach, Wando County has appointed six promotional ambassadors, including actor Wi Ha-joon, singer Ahn Seong-hoon, chef Oh Se-duk and YouTuber Rirang.

During the event, which 150 participants attended, Wando County Mayor Shin Woo-chul introduced the coastal county's distinctive offerings and tourism strategy.

"2025 will be a turning point for Wando's tourism, opening the door to attracting 10 million visitors," Shin said. We will continue to develop unique tourism content, such as policies linked to marine healing, to elevate Wando's tourism industry."