Is Gamcheon Culture Village a Successful Place Of Geotoursim

           Gamcheon Culture Village is one of the representative place in Busan. Some beautiful pictures on walls and colorful villages in Gamcheon Culture Village attract many tourists. In the past, this village was a place that fall behind where the poor lived. However at 2010, government launched a project to attract tourist and began to decorate the village. Although there are some economic benefits after the development of Gamcheon Culture Village, there are some serious disadvantages that goes after.

           First of all, the positive effect that Gamcheon Culture Village gives to our country is a economic benefit. Due to the increasing tourists trying to see the village, country has gained lots of profits from them. Government put lots of effort to attract tourists and to make the village a successful geotourism. There are lots of factors that lead tourists to come to the village. The most famous tour is a 'stamp tour.' There are stamps in each famous art gallery. So, by walking along the village people could get the stamps and after they get all 10 stamps, tourist can keep those as a souvenir. Also, there is a 'commentator tour' that commentator explains all the information about the village by walking together. This tour is popular because the commentators are the people who live in the Gamcheon Culture Village. In addition to this, tourists can take pictures in front of the beautiful walls and eat lots of famous food in Busan such as 'seed ho-teok.' Therefore, these factors of geotourism will contribute to a ecomomic benefit and lead to a development of the city,

           On the other hand, there are some serious side effects since the development of Gamcheon Culture Village. One side effect is the disturbance of some tourists. Since Gamcheon Culture Village is the town where people really live, villagers can be disturbed by tourists. When travelers make loud noise and try to look at the house closely, the privacy of villagers could be distracted. In fact, some town people complained about tourists who were trying to open the door of their house. Also, lots of people just throw their trash anywhere and make the town dirty. Bothering village people is one of the serious problem of geotourism and this is done by some of the tourists. Tourists should have etiquette to protect the private life of the town people. Respecting others will be the best way to maintain the geotourism and to solve this negative effect.

           Another side effect is the change of Gamcheon Culture Village that only focused on the tourists' favor. The main inhabitants in Gamcheon Culture Village are the old. However, today, the only interest of the government is tourist industry. As a result, government is keep making new cafes, shops, and gallery for young people. Also, in cafes and restaurant, government keep puts menus such as churros, hamburgers, and chicken which targets the young. Now, the residents of the town are uncomfortable living in their town because most of the facilities they used has gone. To be specific, public bath they used to go has gone and all the markets near their house has changed to cafes. The original form of the town shouldn't be changed in the name of geotourism.

           The purpose of the project to change the village into a beautiful place was good at first. Also, it brings lots of economic benefits to the country and seemed as a successful geotourism. However there were some side effects such as disturbance of tourists and change of the original village. Government and tourists should remind the purpose of geotourism and try to solve the negative effect of tourism. We can't say Gamcheon Culture Village as a successful geotourism until the problems are solved.