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Analysis Region: 22 cities and counties in Gyeongsangbuk-do
Core Region:  Gyeongju APEC tourism hub and regional diffusion areas including Andong, Sangju, Mungyeong, Pohang, Uljin, Yeongdeok, and Yeongju
Agenda: Is the structure transitioning to one where the increased domestic and international visitor demand generated by the 2025 Gyeongju APEC does not remain limited to an increase in visitors to Gyeongju alone, but spreads to accommodation, stays, tourism consumption, MICE, local commercial districts, and repeat visits across the 22 cities and counties of Gyeongbuk, with AI and tourism data optimizing this in real time?
Golden Time Type: Opportunity + Visitor-to-Value Conversion Risk
Reference Date: August 28, 2026
Version: Regional AX Golden Time Intelligence v3.2
 

Following the 2025 APEC summit in Gyeongju, the volume of tourism visits to Gyeongbuk has clearly risen. According to data compiled by Gyeongbuk Province based on the Korea Tourism Data Lab, the number of visitors to Gyeongbuk in the fourth quarter of 2025 is projected to reach approximately 50 million , a 17% increase from 44 million during the same period in 2024, while the number of foreign visitors rose by 20%, from 1.3 million to 1.5 million . During the same period, the number of visitors to Gyeongju increased by 19%, rising from 12 million to 15 million , and the number of foreign visitors increased by 30%, from 320,000 to 420,000 . Evidence confirming that APEC boosted actual visitor demand is established. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

However, a structural gap exists between the increase in visitors and the qualitative growth of the tourism industry. An analysis based on the Korea Tourism Data Lab suggests that while the number of out-of-town visitors to Gyeongju reached approximately 23.52 million in the first half of 2025 , the accommodation rate was 15.6% and the average length of stay was 2.51 days—0.33 days shorter than the national average—while total tourism spending decreased by 3.4% from the previous year to approximately 110 billion won. This signals that even with an increase in visitor volume, it may not sufficiently translate into spending on accommodation, shopping, and local commercial districts. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

Gyeongbuk declared 2026 as the "Visit Gyeongbuk Year" and launched the "NEXT 2030" tourism vision. The policy direction is structured to connect post-APEC, MICE, regional tourism belts across the northern, East Coast, and southwestern regions, global tourism, and local talent; the goal has been set as "Gyeongbuk, a place people want to stay," rather than simply increasing the number of visitors. This serves as evidence that the official goal of tourism policy is shifting from visitor volume to growth in terms of stay and quality. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The transition to AI has also begun. In May 2026, Gyeongbuk was selected in a competition by the Ministry of Science and ICT, securing 1.2 billion won in state funding, and embarked on the development of a multimodal AI-based hyper-personalized docent and tourism platform worth a total of 2 billion won over two years . The structure combines the 3D restoration of Hwangnyongsa Temple with AI docents to provide customized content tailored to individual interests, movement patterns, and content. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The institutional foundation to sustain global demand has also been expanded. In August 2026, Gyeongju was selected for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's Global Tourism Special Zone Development Project, the nation's first of its kind , securing a total project budget of 6 billion won. Based on this, Gyeongbuk Province is pursuing an era of 3 million foreign tourists visiting Gyeongju. However, 3 million is a policy goal, not a current outcome. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

Attempts to expand spatial reach are also underway. By July 2026, Gyeongbuk presented itineraries for extended stays by grouping 150 tourist attractions and 61 recommended courses across 22 cities and counties into four regions: Northern, Central-Western, Southern, and Eastern. In railway tourism, the province is operating "Falling in Love! Gyeongbuk 2026" with Korail, linking transportation demand with regional visits by refunding train fares upon verification of visits to tourist sites. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

However, the key outcome is still unclear.

• Hosting APEC ≠ Sustainable tourism demand
• Increase in visitors ≠ Increase in accommodation
• Increase in foreigners ≠ Increase in tourism consumption
• Success in Gyeongju ≠ Spread to 22 cities and counties
• Establishment of an AI tourism platform ≠ Changes in actual tourist routes
• Designation as a Special Tourism Zone ≠ High Value-Added Tourism
• Goal of 100 million tourists ≠ Achieving 5 trillion won in tourism revenue

The Golden Time for Gyeongbuk tourism lies in whether it is possible to establish a Data-driven Tourism Network that redirects visitors flowing into Gyeongju to 22 cities and counties between 2026 and 2028—when global interest is high immediately after APEC—and converts the volume of visitors into length of stay, accommodation, consumption, and repeat visits .

The current assessment is Opportunity + Visitor-to-Value Conversion Risk .

Gyeongbuk possesses tourism resources of different characteristics distributed across 22 cities and counties, including Gyeongju's historical and cultural heritage, Andong's Confucian culture, the East Coast's marine and wellness, the northern region's forest and ecology, Mungyeong and Sangju's leisure, Pohang's industry and marine, and Ulleung and Dokdo.

This decentralized structure creates a structure where it is not a problem of insufficient tourism resources, but rather one where it is difficult for tourists to connect multiple regions in a single trip .

North Gyeongsang Province’s regrouping of 150 tourist attractions and 61 recommended courses across 22 cities and counties into four regions—Northern, Central-Western, Southern, and Eastern—by 2026 is also a response to the move toward shifting from administration-bound-centered tourism to route-based tourism . ( North Gyeongsang Provincial Government )

With Gyeongju's global recognition and visitor volume rising rapidly following the 2025 APEC, the competitiveness of Gyeongbuk tourism is determined by the ability to connect the strong gateway known as Gyeongju to other regions, rather than by creating new tourist destinations.

The positive impact of APEC visits is confirmed by statistics. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the number of visitors to Gyeongju increased by 19% and foreign visitors by 30% compared to the same period of the previous year, while Gyeongbuk as a whole saw increases of 17% and 20%, respectively. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

However, the occupancy rate of 15.6%, average length of stay of 2.51 days, and signals of declining tourism consumption in Gyeongju during the first half of 2025 demonstrate that economic stay effects do not automatically occur even if the number of visitors increases . ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

While Gyeongbuk Province is pushing for the expansion of tourism infrastructure, MICE, content, and global marketing following APEC, the actual tourism economy must be judged by the amount of additional revenue generated by accommodation, restaurant, transportation, commercial district, and local content businesses. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

Currently, regarding Readiness, Visitor Acquisition has increased significantly, but Visitor-to-Local-Value Conversion is in the verification stage.

The first change is the shift in tourism policy KPIs from the number of visitors to the value of stay . NEXT2030 presented "Gyeongbuk, a Place You Want to Stay" as a policy direction, along with regional tourism belts, MICE, Post-APEC, and global tourism. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

Second, tourism guidance is shifting from general-purpose information to AI-driven personalized itineraries . The 2 billion won AI tourism platform, launched in 2026, combines multimodal AI docents with personalized tourism experiences. Future performance should be measured by changes in actual stay duration, regional movement, and consumption patterns, rather than the number of app users. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

Third, the tourism space shifts from individual tourist sites to a wide-area route network . 150 selected destinations and 61 courses across 22 cities and counties connect tourist sites with itineraries ranging from half-day to two-day trips, while 'Fall in Love! Gyeongbuk 2026' links railway travel with visits to tourist sites as incentives. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The fourth point is the potential for Gyeongju's role to shift from a destination to a Global Gateway . As demand for global special tourism zones, post-APEC events, and MICE becomes concentrated in Gyeongju, the city's next competitive edge depends on its function as a hub that disperses visitors throughout Gyeongbuk. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

In February 2026, Gyeongbuk declared the "Visit Gyeongbuk Year" and officially launched the NEXT 2030 tourism vision. It established the Northern, East Coast, and Southwestern tourism belts, Post-APEC, MICE, global tourism, and tourism talent as key mid-to-long-term axes. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

In April, following a performance review after APEC, the increase in visitors to Gyeongbuk and Gyeongju was confirmed, and inbound strategies were implemented for various markets, including China, Japan, Southeast Asia, and the Americas. In the Chinese market, the expansion of tourism product sales in partnership with global OTAs was also initiated. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

Starting in April 2026, the railway sector launched 'Fall in Love! Gyeongbuk 2026' with Korail, linking certification of visits to tourist attractions with train fare refunds. This structure shifts tourism marketing from exposure and promotion to incentives for actual travel behavior . ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

In May, the AI-based hyper-personalized docent and tourism platform project was launched, and in August, Gyeongju was designated as a Global Special Tourism Zone, securing a total of 6 billion won in project funding. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

In July, 150 tourist attractions and 61 recommended courses across 22 cities and counties were announced, establishing a route layer to spread post-APEC tourism demand beyond Gyeongju. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

The policy portfolio has now begun to meet the conditions to connect Global Attraction → Mobility → AI Recommendation → Regional Route → Stay → Consumption .

The remaining bottleneck is connecting the actual Journey Outcome of the same tourist .

Through the 2025 APEC summit, Gyeongbuk secured a demonstration opportunity that global events can simultaneously boost tourism brands and visitor demand. The 30% increase in foreign visitors to Gyeongju in the fourth quarter of 2025 compared to the previous year demonstrates that global exposure has translated into actual travel demand. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

However, international tourism competitiveness is determined by the depth of stay, consumption, and experience rather than the scale of visitors. Gyeongju's occupancy rates and tourism consumption signals for the first half of the year demonstrate the paradox that rising global recognition alone does not make a city a high-value tourism destination. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

In its 2030 Tourism Vision, Gyeongbuk has presented long-term goals of 100 million tourists , 3 million foreign visitors , and 5 trillion won in tourism revenue . These figures represent strategic targets rather than current performance, and going forward, the structure for generating 5 trillion won will become a more critical criterion than simply attracting 100 million visitors. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The current location is determined to be in the early stage of Global Awareness Increase / High-value Tourism Conversion .

The number of visitors to Gyeongbuk in the fourth quarter of 2025 is approximately 50 million .

It increased by 17% compared to the same period last year .

The number of foreign visitors was approximately 1.5 million , a 20% increase from the previous year . ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

During the same period, the number of visitors to Gyeongju was approximately 15 million , an increase of 19% compared to the previous year .

The number of foreigners in Gyeongju is approximately 420,000 , a 30% increase from the previous year . ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

According to an analysis , the number of out-of-town visitors to Gyeongju in the first half of 2025 was recorded at approximately 23.52 million , but the accommodation rate was 15.6% , the average length of stay was 2.51 days , and total tourism spending was approximately 110 billion won , representing a 3.4% decrease compared to the previous year. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

The 2026 AI tourism platform is worth a total of 2 billion won . ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

A total of 6 billion won will be invested in the Global Tourism Special Zone . ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

There are 150 selected tourist attractions and 61 recommended courses across 22 cities and counties . ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

Connecting the numbers reveals a structure where Gyeongbuk has already secured Attraction Capacity, but Stay & Spend Capacity is relatively weak .

Therefore, the next key indicator is not the visitor growth rate.

Visitor → Overnight → Multi-city Travel → Spend → Repeat Conversion Rate .

The biggest gap is between the visit and the stay .

Even if many people visit Gyeongju, if they travel mainly for a day trip or an overnight stay, the impact on accommodation, the night economy, and local commercial districts is limited.

The second is between Gyeongju and the 21 cities and counties of Gyeongbuk .

The APEC brand originated in Gyeongju. If these visitors do not travel to Andong, Pohang, Yeongdeok, Sangju, Mungyeong, Yeongju, and Uljin, the "Post-APEC" initiative may end up merely as a tourism boom in Gyeongju rather than serving as a tourism policy for the entire Gyeongbuk region.

The third is the difference between AI recommendations and actual movement changes .

Even if a personalized platform accurately recommends users' interests, the recommendations remain merely information provision if they do not connect to transportation, accommodation, reservations, or payments for travel to other cities or counties.

The fourth is the relationship between tourists and commercial district sales .

To determine actual Local Value Capture, tourism consumption data must be tracked down to the city, county, and time zone levels by category—accommodation, food, shopping, experiences, and transportation.

The fifth is between global brands and repeat visits .

Whether the one-time exposure effect of 2025 APEC is sustained until 2027–2028 must be verified through foreign repeat visits, MICE attraction, and OTA bookings.

The core data of Gyeongbuk Tourism AX is not the list of tourist attractions, but the Visitor Journey .

• Inflow market
• Destination
• search
• suggestion
• traffic
• Places to visit
• Time of stay
• lodgment
• payment
• Move to the next area
• You need to connect repeat visits.

The Korea Tourism Data Lab already possesses data on mobile-based visitors, card-based tourism spending, navigation searches, and inter-regional related tourist attractions. The challenge lies in connecting this data to policy decisions and runtime for the 22 cities and counties of Gyeongbuk. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

AI tourism platforms can add a personalization layer on top of this.

Policy determination should be based on actual visits, stays, and payments after recommendation , rather than the number of content uploads.

The increase in visitor volume following APEC has already created demand for the Gyeongju tourism industry. However, the signal of declining tourism spending in the first half of the year indicates that the increase in foot traffic did not automatically translate into increased sales across all commercial districts. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

Gyeongbuk is attempting to disperse tourism routes from congested areas like Hwangnidan-gil to the old city center and other regions, and to expand beyond Gyeongju through 22 city and county courses. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

While railway fare refund products are also a method to encourage actual regional visits, their effectiveness should be verified by additional effects on accommodation, consumption, and visited regions, rather than by the number of participants. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

Based on currently available evidence, it is difficult to connect post-APEC accommodation revenue, local commercial district revenue, tourist movement between 22 cities and counties, and payment conversion after AI recommendation into a single tourist journey.

Visitor Growth is confirmed, but Business Outcome Distribution is a data gap.

Gyeongju's tourism appeal currently serves as an overwhelming gateway within Gyeongbuk.

On the other hand, the northern region including Andong, Yeongju, Mungyeong, Sangju, and Bonghwa; the East Coast region including Pohang, Yeongdeok, and Uljin; and the central-western region including Gimcheon, Gumi, Seongju, and Goryeong possess distinct tourism content, but they differ significantly from Gyeongju in terms of accessibility for foreigners and brand recognition.

Gyeongbuk’s grouping of 22 cities and counties into four zones and the redesign of 61 travel courses is an attempt to resolve this spatial gap through tourism routes. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

However, for tourists to actually travel from Gyeongju to Andong or the East Coast, connections must extend beyond just recommendations to include trains, buses, rental cars, luggage, reservations, language support, and payments.

Therefore, the spatial gap in Gyeongbuk tourism should be measured not by the number of tourism resources, but by the Conversion Rate from the Gateway to the next region .

The first time axis is the APEC Effect.

Foreign visitors to Gyeongju increased by 30% in the fourth quarter of 2025. However, the media exposure effect of international events is not permanent. The time to transform the post-APEC brand into tourism products and a repeat visit market is limited. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The second is the 2026 Visit Gyeongbuk Year.

With the NEXT 2030 Tourism Vision, regional tourism belts, and MICE and global tourism policies all in operation, the present is the time to translate the effects of APEC into broader regional policies. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

The third is an AI tourism platform.

Data standards and recommendation algorithms will be established during the construction and demonstration phase from 2026 to 2028. If dwell and consumption outcomes are not learned from the beginning, there is a possibility that the platform will become entrenched as a view and click-centric platform. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

The fourth is the Global Tourism Special Zone.

Now that Gyeongju has been selected for the nation's first Global Tourism Special Zone Development Project in 2026, this is the opportunity to institutionally sustain foreign tourism demand following the APEC summit. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

The irreversibility of tourism arises from the fading of brand interest rather than facilities.

If we fail to connect Route, accommodation, MICE, commercial districts, and AI now that the world remembers Gyeongju, much larger marketing costs may be required to repurchase the same interest in two to three years.

12-1. Golden Time Application Case in Basic Local Governments ① — Gyeongju City

Gyeongju recorded a 19% increase in visitors and a 30% increase in foreign visitors in the fourth quarter following the 2025 APEC summit, and was selected for the nation's first Global Tourism Special Zone Development Project in 2026. It has the highest Global Attraction Readiness in Gyeongbuk. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The Readiness GAP lies between the volume of visits and the value of stay. Gyeongju’s Golden Time is 2026–2028, when the Hwangnyongsa AI docent, MICE, night tourism, the old city center, and accommodation are connected, and tourists are automatically recommended their next destination in Gyeongbuk,  converting the basic journey from visiting Gyeongju → staying for 2 nights or more → moving to other cities or counties into a basic journey .

12-2. Golden Time Application Cases in Basic Local Governments ② — Andong City

Andong serves as a key hub for tourism in northern Gyeongbuk, possessing international tourism assets distinct from Gyeongju, such as Confucian culture, Hahoe Village, and traditional culture. Gyeongbuk’s NEXT 2030 plan designates the northern region tourism belt as a separate axis, providing a policy foundation to connect it as a second base of stay following Gyeongju. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

The Readiness GAP is connection with the Gyeongju Gateway rather than independent tourism marketing for Andong . Andong's Golden Time is to connect the demand from APEC foreigners with cultural heritage, food, accommodation, and night experiences to create a single 2-3 day global Heritage Route connecting Gyeongju and Andong .

The first loss is the time value of the APEC global brand . If visitor demand is not converted into repeat visits, MICE, or regional products while it is maintained, the event's effectiveness naturally diminishes.

The second issue is the entrenched concentration in Gyeongju. Even if the total number of visitors to Gyeongbuk increases, if tourism consumption is concentrated only in certain areas of Gyeongju, it will be difficult to utilize tourism in the 22 cities and counties as an industry to combat regional decline.

The third is the opportunity for AI to learn from tourism data. If large-scale tourism inflow data from 2026 to 2028 is not linked to stay and consumption, future AI recommendation models will only learn information search patterns.

The fourth factor is the tourism commercial district. If accommodation, shopping, and experience products do not grow alongside the increase in tourists, local businesses will fail to capture the added value of global tourism demand.

Gyeongbuk can transform APEC from a one-time international event into a Permanent Global Tourism Funnel .

It attracts international tourists to Gyeongju, AI designs personalized itineraries, and railways and roads move to the next region,

It is a structure that encourages accommodation in Andong, the East Coast, and the Northern region, increases spending on food, shopping, experiences, and MICE, and recommends a next visit.

In that case, the final outcome of the tourism policy is not the number of tourists, but the contribution to the local economy per tourist .

Gyeongbuk can transition from mass tourism to **long-term stays and spending in multiple cities**.

Tourism AX Runtime

Global Interest → Search/Reservation → Influx into Gyeongbuk → Gyeongju Gateway → AI Recommendation → Movement to City/County → Stay/Accommodation → Consumption → Local Commercial District Revenue → Satisfaction/Revisit → Re-recommendation

Opportunity + Visitor-to-Value Conversion Risk

Attraction Evidence is strong.

In the fourth quarter of 2025, the number of visitors to Gyeongbuk increased by 17% and foreign visitors by 20% compared to the same period of the previous year, while Gyeongju saw increases of 19% and 30%, respectively. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

Policy Readiness is also increasing.

The 2026 Visit Gyeongbuk Year and NEXT 2030 have begun, and POST APEC, MICE, regional tourism belts, and global tourism have been established as a single mid-to-long-term structure. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

Technology Readiness is also formed.

An AI hyper-personalized tourism platform worth 2 billion won over two years has been launched, and Gyeongju has secured a Global Tourism Special Zone project worth 6 billion won. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

The Regional Diffusion policy has also begun.

150 attractions, 61 travel courses, and railway-linked tourism products across 22 cities and counties are in operation. ( Gyeongsangbuk-do Provincial Government )

However, Visitor Value Evidence is still weak.

Gyeongju’s 15.6% occupancy rate in the first half of 2025 and the signal of declining tourism consumption demonstrate that an increase in tourists does not necessarily lead to a corresponding increase in stay and spending. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

Therefore, the core risk for Gyeongbuk is not that tourists do not come.

It is a continuation of a structure where many tourists stay for a sufficient amount of time, move to various cities and counties, and do not spend enough in the local area .

Currently, Golden Time is determined by Opportunity + Visitor-to-Value Conversion Risk .

1. Monthly number of visitors to Gyeongbuk
2. Number of foreign visitors
3. Foreign visitors by country
4. Growth rate of foreign visitors to Gyeongju
5. Difference in visitors before and after APEC
6. Tourist occupancy rate
7. Average number of nights stayed
8. Rate of stays of 2 nights or more
9. Per capita tourism expenditure
10. Accommodation spending
11. Food consumption amount
12. Shopping spending
13. Experience and leisure spending
14. Gyeongju → Movement rate to other cities/counties
15. Average number of cities and counties visited by tourists
16. Visitor Flow by Region
17. Number of railway tourism users
18. Railway tourism → Accommodation conversion rate
19. Number of AI tourism platform users
20. AI Recommendation → Actual Visit Conversion Rate
21. Foreigner AI Docent Usage Rate
22. Global Tourism Special Zone Foreigner Stay Time
23. Average length of stay for MICE participants
24. Changes in sales in tourist commercial districts
25. Revisit rate · Re-recommendation rate

Data GAP: While data on mobile phone visitors, card tourism spending, navigation, and tourism businesses exists for Gyeongbuk, a publicly available Tourism AX Runtime—which compares Local Value Capture in real-time across 22 cities and counties based on the same Visitor Journey, connecting inflow → visit to Gyeongju → movement to other cities/counties → accommodation → consumption → revisit—has not yet been confirmed. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

Runtime Chain

APEC/Global Exposure → Visitor Influx → AI Personalization → Inter-regional Movement → Accommodation/Stay → Consumption → Commercial Revenue → Local Employment → Revisit → Gyeongbuk Tourism Brand Sustainability

The increase in demand for visits following APEC is evident. In the fourth quarter of 2025, the number of visitors to Gyeongbuk increased by 17% and foreign visitors by 20% compared to the same period of the previous year, while Gyeongju saw increases of 19% and 30%, respectively. A foundation for global demand capable of promoting a post-APEC era has indeed been established. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

However, in the same Gyeongju, an occupancy rate of 15.6%, an average length of stay of 2.51 days, and a decrease in tourism consumption were observed in the first half of 2025. This is evidence that an increase in visitors cannot be equated with the growth of the tourism industry. ( Korea Tourism Data Lab )

Gyeongbuk is rapidly establishing a supply chain that includes the 2026 Visit Year and NEXT 2030 initiatives, a 2 billion won AI tourism platform, 6 billion won for the Gyeongju Global Tourism Special Zone, 150 selected destinations and 61 courses across 22 cities and counties, and even railway tourism. Going forward, the criterion for evaluation will not be the number of policies, but whether they are connected within a single tourist journey. ( Gyeongbuk Provincial Government )

There is only one structural insight. Since APEC, the core asset of Gyeongbuk tourism is not the increased number of tourists, but rather a "short time window capable of converting already secured global interest into longer stays and consumption across the entire province."  Gyeongju has become a powerful Gateway, but if tourists stop at the Gateway, the tourism economy of the entire province will not grow.

Golden Time Thesis — The golden time for Gyeongsangbuk-do tourism is not a time to continuously promote the increase in APEC tourists. The key lies in whether, within the next two to three years, AI can connect global visitors flowing into Gyeongju to Andong, Pohang, the East Coast, and the Northern Region, and whether we can integrate rail travel, accommodation, MICE, food, shopping, and experiences into a single journey to facilitate a transition from visit → stay → multi-regional movement → consumption → revisit. If this conversion structure is established now, the 2025 APEC will become not just a one-time international event, but a permanent gateway connecting the 22 cities and counties of Gyeongbuk to the global tourism market. Conversely, if we only track visitor numbers, interest in APEC will fade, and the existing structure of Gyeongju concentration, day tourism, and low consumption could become entrenched once again.