Korean Tourism

[hakz2007]

Korea Tourism Organization launches new online event

Take part in an exciting new contest at KTO for your chance to win a roundtrip ticket to Korea and other fabulous prizes.

Korea has designated 2010 to 2012 as the 'VISIT KOREA YEARS', during which time a variety of tours and special events will be organized under cultural and environmental themes. Currently, the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO, www.visitkorea.or.kr) is hosting a new online event through the official tourism website of Korea. In order to promote Korea and its culture to the rest of the world, the event involves a fun and simple quiz that everyone can participate in. By simply answering easy trivia questions about Korea, contestants earn the chance to win a roundtrip ticket to Korea and other wonderful prizes!

The 2010-2012 VISIT KOREA YEAR CAMPAIGN

With the Korean wave sweeping various nations around the world, Korea is rapidly growing into a major tourist destination of Asia. The 2010-2012 VISIT KOREA YEAR campaign provides programs to benefit travelers such as reduced-rates for extended-stay visitors, shopping events & sales, and tourism booklets containing discounts on attractions, entrance fees and select purchases. The country is in the process of a nationwide campaign to make these years an exceptional time and opportunity to travel to Korea. Much preparation is underway for events such as the Seoul Design Olympiad, IAAF World Championships Daegu 2011, EXPO 2012 Yeosu Korea, Korean Wave Dream Festival, World Culture Festival, Korea Food & Tourism Festival 2010, Cheju Ole Tracking Competition, World Peace Festival, Environment Festival and more. With the commencement of this 2010-2012 VISIT KOREA YEAR campaign, Korea continues to develop its cosmopolitan image as a dynamic and exciting Asian destination.

Take a shot at Korea's quiz contest for your chance to win!

The KTO month-long quiz event will take place from October 18, 2010 to November 30, 2010.

http://www.travelio.net/korea-touris...ine-event.html

[hakz2007]

'Nanobreaks' new tourism trend in S. Korea

For many Koreans, travel means usually taking more than a week off from work once or twice a year and flying to one of the Southeast Asian countries with family members or friends. But a growing number of Koreans have and will take short-term trips multiple times throughout the year to their hometown or to foreign destinations amid an increasingly hectic modern lifestyle, according to Hotels.com, the world’s leading hotel booking website with a network of 130,000 hotels worldwide.

The site said ``nanobreaks,’’ a newly coined term referring to a trip to a nearby country on short breaks or extended weekends, will become one of the new travel trends for Korea in 2011.

``In Korea, considerable growth in the number of independent travelers and the online hotel reservation market is expected to continue in 2011, as various social networking services such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr are making it easier for people to share stories about their travels,’’ said Peter Yoshihara, marketing director for Hotels.com in Korea and Japan.

Conditions are ripening to allow people to conveniently take a wide range of short overseas trips to fit into today’s busy lifestyles, he said. ``In general, Korean travelers tend to make hotel reservations about one month before their trip and this seems to reflect the fast and precise decision-making styles of the Korean people.’’

Read the rest here

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news...144_78540.html

[crskyline]

Originally Posted by hakz2007

G20 host South Korea needs to improve tourism infrastructure


In addition, Oh said, Chinese visitors have become the largest spenders, beating out Japanese tourists, who have long held that distinction.

Oh cited a recent survey which revealed that Chinese tourists are spending about double what Japanese visitors are spending at large department store chains in South Korea.

“While visiting one of Seoul’s busiest shopping districts, I noticed that merchants who can speak basic Chinese are now prevalent,” Oh said. “Learning Chinese is becoming a must for retailers not only in Seoul’s popular shopping areas, but throughout Korea.”


http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/7021...hina-japan.htm

This says alot about the Korean personality
4-5 years ago, China was considered by Koreans as a "poor country," and when some rich Chinese tourists visited Korean department stores and tried to buy things, the Koreans sales associates given them attitude as if they cannot afford it after they realised they are Chinese, even though they can indeed afford it. But now, when worldwide media is report Chinese had the spending power, all the Koreans stores staff now are starting to learn Chinese??? What a 180 degree change of attitude, a little bit too materialistic??

[Wastupzz]

Originally Posted by crskyline

This says alot about the Korean personality
4-5 years ago, China was considered by Koreans as a "poor country," and when some rich Chinese tourists visited Korean department stores and tried to buy things, the Koreans sales associates given them attitude as if they cannot afford it after they realised they are Chinese, even though they can indeed afford it. But now, when worldwide media is report Chinese had the spending power, all the Koreans stores staff now are starting to learn Chinese??? What a 180 degree change of attitude, a little bit too materialistic??

That's pretty much same in any countries, even Japan and America changed their attitude this isn't new, btw this is also same in China too. sometimes you Chinese folks need to grow up a little.

[skykraper]

Originally Posted by crskyline

This says alot about the Korean personality
4-5 years ago, China was considered by Koreans as a "poor country," and when some rich Chinese tourists visited Korean department stores and tried to buy things, the Koreans sales associates given them attitude as if they cannot afford it after they realised they are Chinese, even though they can indeed afford it. But now, when worldwide media is report Chinese had the spending power, all the Koreans stores staff now are starting to learn Chinese??? What a 180 degree change of attitude, a little bit too materialistic??

Yes, it's all about the money and that's it.

[hakz2007]

[Letters] How Korea can advance its tourism

June 06, 2011
I was in Korea for just three hours each on my way to and from the U.S. on the 4th of July and the 17th of Sept. 2008. Being a writer for the past decade, I love to move about, read and talk to people to find out what is going on in the place I have landed.

Incheon Airport appeared to be so huge, so modern and so grand that for a moment I thought that I thought I had slept straight through and had already reached Seattle. Decent and well behaved staff took us to our connecting flight gate in less than fifteen minutes, so I had time to roam about till the next announcement

More: http://joongangdaily.joins.com/artic...sp?aid=2937136

[jlee]

Touch Korea_interactive movie_annyeong_highlight


ibuzzkorea.com is a much better tourism website than the one they had a couple years ago (which was complete shit).

[hakz2007]

North Korean tourism: it costs more than you think

The death of Kim Jong-il just one month ago wasn't meant to be a surprise.

For at least the last four years, images of the now Dearly Departed Leader had revealed a truth that even the North Korean propaganda machine could not hide. He was ill and it wasn't likely to be the result of a cold or a bad batch of recently smuggled lobster.

Read more

Jeju picked through ‘fair competition’

Korea’s Jeju Island was chosen as one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature through fair competition and there should not be any more doubts about the process, the chief of the Swiss-based organization told a Thursday press conference in Seoul.

Read more

[hakz2007]

Jeju becomes major destination for Chinese tourism and investment

JEJU CITY, South Korea - The Consulate General of China in Jeju officially started business on July 14. The Jeju consulate is China's fourth residential office in Korea, following the Embassy of the People's Republic of China and consulates general in Busan and Gwangju. This reflects a surge in Chinese tourists and investors to Jeju, while demonstrating the fruits of hard efforts by Jeju Free International City Development Center (JDC, http://english.jdcenter.com/index.htm ) and Jeju Special Self-Governing Province to make Jeju an international free city like Hong Kong and Singapore.

Read more

[everywhere]

When visiting the Philippines, safety comes first
(Joongang Daily, July 20)

In September 2011, a 32-year-old Korean man surnamed Hong headed to the Philippines for a six-day backpacking trip.

Four days before his scheduled return, Hong’s parents received an international call from their son, who told them, “I need money. Please deposit 10 million won [$8,720].”

Hong’s parents immediately deposited the money in his bank account. They never heard from their son again. Since then, Hong’s parents have asked for help from the Korean Embassy in the Philippines and begged Korean prosecutors to assist in their search for their missing son

more: http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.c...px?aid=2956387

[hakz2007]

19 Chinese tourists missing in South Korea

INCHON, South Korea, Jan. 6 (UPI) -- Officials said Sunday they had identified 19 Chinese tourists who disappeared after traveling to South Korea in late December.

The tourists, all men, are from two counties in northwestern China's Shaanxi province and its capital city of Xi'an, China's state-run Xinhua News Agency reported. Their names were not reported.

Read more

[Kim Bol Jon]

그것은 필리핀에 더 많은 재미

[hakz2007]

South Korea in hot pursuit of Indians

KOREA Tourism Organization (KTO) is targeting 100,000 arrivals from India in 2013, having identified a wide range of offerings that will appeal to the market ranging from traditional homestays to cuisine.

KTO will focus on developing high-quality tourism products and special incentive programmes for tour operators and travel consultants, while also promoting cultural events, sports, cuisine, temples and traditional homestays to Indian travellers.

Read more

[nazrey]

Korea Tourism Organization - Malaysia Unit
http://www.visitkorea.com.my/

Korea Plaza
Ground Floor, Menara Hap Seng,
Jalan P. Ramlee, 50250 Kuala Lumpur.
T: 603-2072 2515
F: 603-2072 3552
E:klkoreaplaza@gmail.com