korea
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CHIC KOREA
With visitor numbers rising, more tour operators and airlines scheduling the destination and new attractions opening up, Korea is now so much more than a stopover, says Anna Maria Espsäter
T
hese are undeniably exciting times for Korea. Although its northern neighbour remains a sporadic belligerent presence, that doesn’t
seem to be putting off visitors who, from near and far, are discovering this fascinating country. In fact slowly, but very surely, Korea is succeeding in creating an international name for itself as a versatile, interesting and varied travel destination. And more direct fl ights from the UK with Korean
Air, British Airways and Asiana, are making it easier than ever to visit the country. “UK inbound fi gures to Korea for 2014 look set to reach 130,000,” says Changho Cha, Director of the Korean Tourism Organisation in the UK, “and the goal for 2015 is to reach 136,000”. The tourist board has every cause for cheer:
this year alone a number of excellent reasons to visit the country have been added: a brand-new UNESCO World Heritage site at Namhansanseong Fortress; the recently-opened high-speed rail link connecting Incheon airport with cities across the country; the Taekwondo park and museum in
Muju, in central Korea; the Incheon Asian Games this autumn and preparations for the 2018 Winter Olympics, to be held at Pyeongchang. There is also increasing interest from a number
of tour operators: those launching Korea tours for the fi rst time include Bales Worldwide/Virgin Worldwide Journeys and Wendy Wu Tours.
“South Korea is well-known for
its food and culture; both are very distinct from other parts of the Far East. It is also one of the most
mountainous countries in Asia” ROWAN GOLDTHORP, PRODUCT MANAGER, WENDY WU TOURS
“We’re launching our fi rst dedicated South Korea
tour in 2015,” says Rowan Goldthorp, Product Manager at Wendy Wu Tours. “This is a new product for us and our priority is to
Clockwise from top left: Namhansanseong Fortress in spring; Deogyusan National Park & Muju Ski Resort in summer; a traditional set meal, temple-style; sunfl ower fi eld, Taeback Botanic Garden.
communicate the tour effectively to the UK travel trade and to provide agents with all the necessary tools and information to sell it.” There are also long-established reasons to visit Korea: the nation has a long and interesting
sellingtravel.co.uk
history, beautiful national parks, fantastic cuisine and a rich cultural heritage as evidenced by the 11 sites designated ‘World Heritage’ by UNESCO. The country’s size also makes it easy to get around in a short space of time and easy to combine with other Asian destinations, as it’s well connected by regional and international carriers. In addition, the cruise and stopover markets remain strong and ever-popular. “Our four-day Seoul stopover package is always popular as it offers the traveller a fl avour of the country’s past and present, including a half-day tour to Panmunjom and the Demilitarized Zone located on the border with North Korea,” says Helen Li, Owner at China Links Travel. “This short tour works really well when
combining it with China or Japan.” Although a stopover in Seoul is still very popular,
Korea has been successfully diversifying, attracting a wide number of visitors interested in going further afi eld and experiencing the culture fi rst- hand, for example by doing a temple stay, learning Korean cooking or taking part in national and international sports. Cycling is now an excellent option in much of the
country thanks to a government scheme opening up nearly 1,000 miles of cycling paths along the main rivers. And with the recent opening of the
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