Korea SHIFTING GEARS
Mid-point between China and Japan, Korea has found itself somewhat overshadowed by its neighbours but has the right assets to steadily grow its share of international tourists, says Jennifer Barclay
K
orea’s potential as a holiday destination is slowly being recognised, with record numbers
of Asian tourists recorded recently and the country seemingly well-poised to receive greater global recognition. In fact there are plenty of reasons why
Korea is increasingly being added to UK travellers’ 'must-see' lists. Last year it hosted the G20 summit and
was named as ‘Design Capital of the World', while Time magazine marvelled at how the country had reinvented itself into a global leader and Conde Nast Traveler called the capital, Seoul, a ‘hot destination’. Even the Financial Times weighed in pointing to Korean food as the next big thing that ‘was about to go global’. Seoul is now a serious stopover
alternative to Singapore, Hong Kong and Dubai for Australia-bound visitors and airlines and tour operators are making it easy to spend 24 hours or more in this
exciting Asian city as part of a multi- destination experience. And visitors are guaranteed a
comfortable arrival in (and departure from) the country as Seoul Incheon airport – with its excellent spa, queue-free lines (it takes approximately 16 minutes to go through departure procedures and 12 minutes for entry procedures, far below the worldwide average) and free fast internet counted among its assets – being widely recognised as the best in the world for six years running.
And Korea has a viable beach
product. Situated in north-east Asia, its many beaches are accessible only in summer, but it also offers hiking in unspoiled mountains in spring and autumn, snow sports in the
winter and year-round festivals. Ancient cultural sites include palaces, Buddhist temples and burial mounds: the historic clan villages of Hahoe and Yangdong recently became the 10th Korean site to be included on UNESCO’s World Cultural Heritage list.
Seoul, with glittering skyscrapers and a pulsating city life, is one of the most technologically advanced cities on the planet with sophisticated shopping and bustling markets. There's
something for everyone and a visit to Korea
recharges your batteries. Occasional sabre-rattling from
North Korea flares up from time to time but travel agents should reassure clients that Korea remains a safe, friendly and peaceful destination. Sports fans will be casting eyes to the
www.sellinglonghaul.com • April 2011 17
Selling Tip First-time visitors are
invariably surprised by the country’s beautiful countryside and friendly people
ALL IMAGES: KOREA TOURISM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68