The Gangwon Tourism Organization, in collaboration with Sokcho City, hosted an on-site familiarization (FAM) tour for tourist interpreters and travel agencies on September 1. This initiative was designed to enhance the competitiveness of port-of-call themed tourism products ahead of the arrival of four cruise ships at Sokcho Port in the second half of 2026.

The FAM tour brought together 34 participants, including travel agency officials handling Sokcho port-of-call theme tours and tourist interpreters who will exclusively guide foreign visitors on-site. The program was organized to preview actual port-of-call tourist destinations and establish a robust reception infrastructure for inbound foreign travelers.

Participants explored five key locations embodying Sokcho's natural and cultural heritage. The itinerary began at the Seoraksan Native Botanical Garden, where visitors can observe indigenous plant life unique to Mt. Seoraksan. Next, they visited the Sokcho City Museum to watch traditional samulnori performances and experience folk culture. This was followed by the Cheoksan Foot Bath Park, offering soothing thermal foot baths, the Abai Village and Gaetbae experience, which blends the history of displaced people with traditional rope-boat crossings, and Yeonggeum정, a representative coastal scenic viewpoint on the East Coast. Participants thoroughly examined on-site guidance elements across all selected hubs.

Notably, this FAM tour adopted a practical educational format in which Sokcho City cultural tourism commentators directly shared historical and cultural backgrounds as well as field-tailored commentary know-how for each destination. This approach elevated the expertise of tourist interpreters, enabling them to deliver deeper and more engaging explanations to foreign cruise visitors in Sokcho.

A travel agency representative who participated in the FAM tour stated that the professional commentary provided by the cultural tourism commentators significantly enhanced the quality and storytelling depth of their planned theme products. They added that these insights will be actively utilized to sell and promote products for cruise tourists arriving in Sokcho Port during the second half of the year.

Choi Sung-hyun, CEO of the Gangwon Tourism Organization, emphasized that providing a highly satisfying tourism experience to cruise visitors docking at Sokcho Port in the latter half of the year requires a deep understanding of Sokcho by both the product-planning travel agencies and the on-site guides. He further noted that by strengthening cooperation with travel agencies and elevating the professional commentary capabilities of tourist interpreters through this FAM tour, the organization has perfected the reception infrastructure for foreign cruise tourists and solidified the competitive edge of port-of-call tourism.

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