The plan from Gangwon Province in South Korea is to develop Sokcho into a central cruise hub, with 12 homeport calls scheduled for this year and 29 calls confirmed through 2029.

This year has so far been highlighted by the inaugural call of the Scenic Eclipse II. The ship was welcomed by the Sokcho Lion Dance, as local officials also put together experience zones and local specialty pop-up stores, and tourist information centers for the call.

Buses were provided to transport visitors to local attractions such as Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market and the Abai Village.

“This focuses on providing diverse and engaging experiences for ultra-luxury cruise passengers and underscores Sokcho’s ambition to cater to a broader range of high-end cruise tourism,” said Wonshik Park, MICE and cruise team director.

Park said that looking ahead to 2026, she was getting ready to welcome the first call from Seabourn. She also pointed to a planned visit from The World.

Park said the port was working on promoting its proximity to Japan.

“This unique position makes us an incredibly attractive port of call for both Japanese-flagged and international cruise lines departing from Japan,” she said, adding that the port was putting together a familiarization tour for the Japanese cruise lines later this year.

“We are also hosting a Sokcho Port Showcase, inviting key players from the charter market, specifically, prominent travel agencies that are crucial in packaging and selling cruise itineraries,” she explained.

Park said the results speak for themselves.

“The majority of cruise lines that consistently call at Sokcho are those that have participated in our familiarization tours,” she said.