'2026 to be Year of Visiting Suwon'...Suwon Special City Creates Barrier-Free Tourism Environment Where Everyone Can Travel Comfortably

[Suwon Ilbo=Reporter Jung Jun-sung] Suwon Special City is making full-scale efforts to create a barrier-free tourism environment where everyone can travel comfortably as it marks 2026 as the 'Year of Visiting Suwon.'

Suwon City, which was selected in December of last year for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 'Barrier-Free Tourism Environment Creation Project,' has established key barrier-free tourism routes and concretized policy directions based on expert consulting.

The core initiative is constructing a 'consumption-oriented barrier-free tourism model' that goes beyond simple pedestrian environment improvements and links the mobility of people with mobility challenges to spending in local commercial areas.

The city has recently conducted business consulting with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Korea Tourism Organization, and the Tourism Studies Association, and has concretized Suwon-style barrier-free tourism strategy and implementation direction.

Based on the consulting results, the city plans to organically link three key routes of 'Enjoy·Heal·Savor' to ensure uninterrupted tourist movement and maximize routes leading to local spending.

The 'Everyone's Enjoy Route' goes beyond simply being an 'obstacle-free path' and is comprised of an experience-oriented barrier-free tourism model that allows people with mobility challenges to travel conveniently by utilizing distinctive transportation means such as the Suwon Haengjcha (royal procession train) and Hwaseong Eocheo (historical vessel).

The 'Everyone's Healing Route' creates a pedestrian-friendly tourism route centered on Paldalsan Mountain and Hwaseong Fortress walls where visitors can enjoy both nature and historical resources together.

The 'Everyone's Savor Route' uses Hwaseong Haenggung (Temporary Royal Palace) Square as a hub and is a living-oriented tourism route connecting cultural facilities such as art museums, museums, and concert halls with the commercial district of Haenggung-dong, ensuring that tourist movement naturally leads to local spending.

A city official stated, "In 2026, Suwon was uniquely selected among all local governments nationwide for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism's 'Barrier-Free Tourism Connectivity Enhancement Project,'" and added, "We are comprehensively improving the tourism structure taking this year's Year of Visiting Suwon as an opportunity." The official continued, "We will establish a virtuous cycle model so that barrier-free tourism goes beyond simply removing obstacles and leads to revitalization of the local economy."