The province spent 1.5 billion won a few years ago on some high-tech upgrades to tourism infrastructure. One of the main projects of those efforts is now being abandoned. Mike Laidman reports.

When a visitor brings their smartphone near aircraft at the Jeju Aerospace Museum, audio content appropriate to what is being viewed starts to play automatically.

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Beacons transmit data wirelessly to smart devices

This information transmitting technology uses beacons - small, wireless transmitters - to send signals to other smart devices nearby.

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Used in location technology, proximity marketing
First installed in 2016

The beacons can carry out a variety of functions, depending on their programming. They have many applications in the fields of tourism, marketing, and safety management.

The province first introduced the beacon-based service in 2016 to promote so-called ‘smart tourism.’

It signed a business agreement with a leading mobile services company to start the service.

Interview
Won Heeryong / Governor (Feb. 12, 2016)
The province needs to employ the same advanced communication technology as the rest of the country so as not to be left behind.
< 원희룡 / 제주특별자치도지사 (2016년 2월 12일 업무협약식) >
스마트하고 앞서간다는 한국의 강점을 제주도에 집약적으로 갖춰야 되겠다. 그렇지 않으면 제주도의 미래와 매력도가 뒤쳐지게 된다는…

Based on the agreement, 1,100 beacons were installed at major tourist attractions across the island.

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￦1.5b spent, in part, on 1,100 beacons

1.5 billion won has been spent to date to establish this smart-tourism environment, which includes installing the beacons, establishing web services, and creating big data.

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Only 360 people used the beacons last year

Despite all the resources used in their creation, only 360 people used them last year. Only nine used them in December.

The province has therefore decided to halt the beacon service.

Interview
Provincial government representative
There haven’t been many users, and even that small number recently fell by half. We have decided to stop offering the beacon-based service due to maintenance costs. Instead, we will offer other ‘smart’ tourism tools.
< 제주도 관계자 >
원래 이용자가 별로 많지 않았는데 그마저도 절반 가량 감소하고, 유지보수 비용도 감안했을 때 폐지하고 대신에 스마트관광은 비콘 말고 다른 수단도 있기 때문에 그것을 유지하면서...

Expectations were high that the beacons would bring innovation to the tourism industry when the province introduced the technology three years ago.

[Reporter] Mike Laidman
[Camera] Kim Seung-cheol

However, the beacons are now instead destined to be removed and the province is facing criticism for failing to predict the rapidly changing communication environment.

Mike Laidman, KCTV