Jeju Province and the Jeju Tourism Organization are promoting a campaign that rewards tourists for renting electric cars and visiting a specific duty-free shop [1].

The initiative aims to increase the adoption of electric vehicles among visitors to the South Korean island and encourage eco-friendly travel. By linking transportation choices with shopping incentives, officials said they hope to reduce the carbon footprint of the region's tourism industry.

Under the program, tourists who rent an electric vehicle and visit the Jungmun duty-free shop receive a 20,000 KRW [1] incentive. This reward is provided either as a duty-free shopping credit, or as a local-currency voucher known as Tamnaneunjeon [1].

Despite the goal of promoting sustainable travel, the campaign has struggled to attract the intended number of participants. For the first year of the program, officials set a target of 2,500 vehicles [1]. However, actual participation reached only 1,600 vehicles [1].

This represents approximately 64% of the original target [1]. The campaign was relaunched in 2024 to further drive adoption of green transport [1].

The disparity between the target and the actual usage suggests that the requirements for receiving the voucher may be too restrictive for some travelers. The need to visit a specific retail location while using a specific type of rental vehicle adds layers of complexity to the tourist experience.

“Tourists who rent an electric vehicle and visit the Jungmun duty-free shop receive a 20,000 KRW incentive.”

The underperformance of the incentive program highlights the challenge of balancing behavioral nudges with user convenience. While the 20,000 KRW reward is intended to steer tourists toward sustainable transport, the requirement to visit a specific duty-free shop creates a friction point that may outweigh the financial benefit for many travelers.