HYESUNG Advisory CEO Sukjae Shin Delivers Keynote at GITIC 2026
Presenting Strategies for Tourism Development and Private Investment to Promote Stay-Oriented Tourism in Gyeongsangnam-do
Sukjae Shin, CEO of HYESUNG Advisory, delivered a keynote speech at the 2026 Gyeongsangnam-do International Tourism Investment Conference (GITIC 2026), held on September 9 at the Changwon Convention Center (CECO). GITIC 2026 was organized by Gyeongsangnam-do to introduce major tourism development projects and investment opportunities to domestic and international investors and to promote actual private investment in the region. The event brought together participants from hotels, resorts, tourism development companies, and investment institutions, along with investor site tours and investment consultations covering major tourism investment sites across Gyeongsangnam-do.
CEO Shin delivered his keynote speech under the theme “Strategies for Tourism Development and Private Investment to Promote Stay-Oriented Tourism in Gyeongsangnam-do.” He highlighted the need to shift from conventional sightseeing-oriented tourism toward stay- and consumption-oriented tourism, building on the region’s recent tourism growth. In 2025, Gyeongsangnam-do recorded a record-high 166.68 million visitors, while visitor numbers and average length of stay continued to increase, particularly along the southern coast. The presentation emphasized the importance of converting this growing tourism demand into accommodation, dining, and leisure consumption, and ultimately into investable tourism assets.
[Key Strategies Presented]
CEO Shin presented four key strategies for tourism development and private investment in Gyeongsangnam-do:
① Transition to Stay-Oriented Tourism
Developing stay-oriented tourism assets—including hotels, resorts, wellness facilities, and tourism content—by leveraging the natural and cultural resources of the southern coastal and Jirisan regions.
② Commercialization of 10 Major Tourism Development Projects
Identifying and developing private investment opportunities across 10 major tourism investment sites in the southern coastal and Jirisan regions.
③ Investor-Centric Private Investment Attraction
Introducing investor-specific incentive packages, attracting global hotel brands and developers as anchor investors, and establishing an integrated brand for Gyeongsangnam-do’s tourism resources.
④ Strengthening Execution After Investment Attraction
Building a collaborative framework among local government, anchor investors, and financial institutions, while managing the process from business structuring and project financing to permitting and construction.
The presentation also highlighted Stanford Hotel Tongyeong and The Bom Hotel in Geoje as examples of how combining local tourism resources with global brands and business demand can enhance the investment attractiveness of tourism development projects. In particular, CEO Shin emphasized that securing anchor investors, such as global hotel brands, at an early stage can strengthen the competitiveness of individual projects and create a positive cluster effect, encouraging follow-on investment in surrounding areas.
HYESUNG INSIGHT
The key message of the presentation was clear:
“Gyeongsangnam-do should transform its rich tourism resources into investable assets and connect them with domestic and international private capital to create a new growth engine for stay-oriented tourism.”
The competitiveness of the tourism industry can no longer be measured simply by the number of visitors. The key is how long visitors stay, how much they spend, and how effectively tourism demand can be converted into sustainable investment and business opportunities.
HYESUNG’s Hotel Business Integrated Solution Center (ISC) provides tailored, one-stop solutions covering development, financing, opening, and operations. Our team brings together hotel and commercial real estate professionals as well as accounting, tax, and financial experts, supporting clients throughout the entire lifecycle of hotel assets—from development and financing to asset management and exit.
