Participants wave as they arrive at Yongsupo-gu, Hankyeong-myeon, Jeju, the end point of the 13-course (16.6-kilometer) walk on Nov. 4, the final day of the “2023 Jeju Olle Walking Festival.
JEJU, Nov. 8 (Korea Bizwire) – The Jeju Olle Corporation reported on Wednesday that the 2023 Jeju Olle Walking Festival, spanning courses 11, 12, and 13 and running from November 2 to 4 under the theme “Walk, Wish, and Wind,” drew more than 10,000 participants, as revealed by a survey.
Of the 632 individuals surveyed, 60 percent were first-time attendees, while 14.9 percent had participated in the festival, now in its 13th year, five times or more.
The 2023 Jeju Olle Walking Festival kicked off on the morning of Nov. 2 at the 11th course of Jeju Olle in Daejeong-eup, Seogwipo-si, Jeju-do.
“The allure of the Jeju Olle path itself” was cited as the primary motivation for joining the festival by 77.8 percent of respondents, with 33.1 percent mentioning “the opportunity to walk with a group of people” as another reason.
Over half of the participants (53.1 percent) completed the full three-day festival, and a significant majority (71 percent) traveled to Jeju Island specifically to partake in the event.
View of Jeju Olle Course 1
Jeju residents, including long-term visitors, made up 26.6 percent of the participants, while the percentage of solo participants stood at 26.9 percent.
On a scale of 0 to 100, the festival received an average rating of 82.4, reflecting high overall satisfaction. More than 80 percent of respondents expressed a strong willingness to recommend the festival to others.
Tadashi Yoshihama, an 81-year-old participant from Japan, shared his experience, saying, “I was so impressed when I participated five years ago that I came back this time with eight friends. The sense of camaraderie and mutual support on the path was wonderful, and we thoroughly enjoyed the delectable village cuisine.”
Sudeokdo Island overlooking Jolboksan Mountain
Ahn Eun-joo, CEO of Jeju Olle, highlighted the festival’s impact, stating, “We can see that the Jeju Olle route draws people to Jeju Island and that the Jeju Olle Walking Festival generates new interest in traveling to the island, often extending stays to at least three days and four nights.”
Ahn added, “The festival’s popularity was such that nearby convenience stores, cafes, and restaurants ran out of supplies. By offering rich and unique content, we can consistently create fresh travel demand for Jeju.”
Looking ahead, Jeju Olle will host next year’s festival from November 7 to 9, featuring courses 14, 15, and 16.
Photos from the closing ceremony of the 2023 Jeju Olle Walking Festival
Image credit: Jeju Olle Corporation, Jeju Tourism Organization / photonews@koreabizwire.com
