CRI

 [ABSTRACT]

In response to Korea’s recent fiscal decentralization, the authority and funding for tourism resource development have shifted to local governments. While this has expanded local autonomy, it has also highlighted challenges in ensuring accountability and professional capacity. Chungcheongbuk-do has invested considerable budgets in tourism development projects, yet continues to face issues such as overlapping investments, lack of content differentiation, and politically driven initiatives due to the absence of objective evaluation criteria.

This study aims to develop a systematic and evidence-based evaluation framework tailored to the region’s characteristics to improve the efficiency and sustainability of tourism development. Through literature review and expert consultation, evaluation indicators were constructed across three dimensions: tourism supply capacity, demand capacity, and policy capacity.

To test applicability, the indicators were applied to three proposed tourism projects in Eumseong County. Expert evaluations confirmed the indicators’ effectiveness in prioritizing projects and assessing feasibility.

Based on these findings, the study suggests key policy recommendations: developing a usage manual, designating an evaluation agency, establishing a review committee, and building a longitudinal project database. The proposed evaluation system is expected to serve as a rational tool for local governments in selecting and funding tourism projects, helping to prevent arbitrary investments and promote more strategic, differentiated, and sustainable tourism development in Chungcheongbuk-do.