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 Visiting Korea in 2001

President Kim Dae-jung declared in September 1998 that 2001 would be Visit Korea Year. Preparations are now in high gear to create what will, in effect, be a national effort to showcase Korea to the world. Below, Visit Korea 2001 Committee chairman Lee, Sang-Joo explains to KT&I why visiting Korea in 2001 will be a special experience

What do you feel are the major attractions of Korea as a tourist destination?

I feel Korea's attractions can be described in terms of the three Ps - programs, people, and prices associated with traveling and touring here.  
 

Secondly, Korea is a safe country to visit. The Korean government and our committee are striving to foster a social atmosphere in which foreign visitors can feel more at home.

Thirdly, the prices of goods and services for tourists are another factor in the attractiveness of a tourist destination. We know that the costs for hotel accommodation and food in Korea, particularly in urban areas, have recently risen. However, I feel that Korea still has considerable price-competitiveness compared to other tourist destinations. For example, the traditional markets in Itaewon, Dongdaemun, and Namdaemun continue to draw huge numbers of foreign bargain-seekers.

The last Visit Korea year was 1994. Why has 2001 been chosen for such a major promotional event?

There are two major reasons. First, several major international events will be held in Korea in the next few years. The Asian-European Summit Meeting (see "Cover Story" and the APEC Tourism Ministerial Meeting are to be held in 2000. Incheon International Airport will open early next year. The 14th General Assembly of the World Tourism Organization (WTO) will be held in 2001 followed by the World Cup and the Asian Games in 2002. Second, the WTO forecasts international tourism will expand tremendously during the early decades of the 21st century.

Visit Korea 2001 has been planned to prepare for these international events and ensure their success, and also to contribute to the development of the national tourism industry to meet the anticipated rise in demand.

What specific events will be organized as part of Visit Korea 2001 and what was the rationale behind them?  

Local governments and civic organizations throughout the country will organize a variety of cultural, sports, and tourism events and festivals. The official Visit Korea 2001 program will consist of 10 major and 16 special events, plus a number of local festivals. They include the Peace & Harmony Festival, which is the opening event of Visit Korea 2001 to be held at Incheon Airport; the World Ceramic Exposition in Gyeonggi-do; the Busan International Film and Music Festival; the World Food Festival in Jeollanam-do and the World Ginseng Festival in Geumsan-gun. On the sporting side, there will be the Fun Ski and Snow Festival in Gangwon-do; the World Taekwondo Festival in Chung-cheongbuk-do; the F3 Korea Grand Prix in Gyeongsangnam-do; and the Ironman Asia Triathlon in Jeju.

The aim of the programs is to provide foreign visitors with as many opportunities as possible to experience Korean culture in its many forms.  

What are your target-markets?

SJ To answer your question, it's necessary to look at where recent foreign arrivals in Korea came from.

In 1999, 4.66 million foreigners visited Korea. Approximately 47 percent came from Japan. They included student groups coming to Korea to study the roots of Japanese culture; young Japanese women visiting Korea over a weekend for shopping and cosmetic services; and visiting businessmen staying over to play golf. The second largest group was Americans comprising 8.5 percent of all foreign arrivals. They came to Korea to attend conferences, do business, and meet U.S. military personnel. The third largest group came from China, comprising 6.8 percent. The growth in the number of visitors from China has exceeded those from all other sources in recent years, growing at a rate of 50 percent annually. This year, it is anticipated that the second largest group of tourists will come from China, overtaking those from the United States. So, whereas Japan and the U.S. have been the established sources of tourism, China is emerging as a new market.

In addition, Southeast Asians are visiting Korea in increasing numbers to enjoy skiing in the winter. In fact, about three-fourths of foreign tourists visiting Korea came from Asia last year. For the future, therefore, we'll focus on attracting more tourists from Asia, particularly from Southeast Asia, as well as Japan and China.

What form will your promotional campaign take both in Korea and overseas?

We are working across a broad front to enhance the nation's image and particularly, international awareness of the country as a tourist destination. Our campaign comprises special TV ads, overseas promotional missions, distribution of up-to-date information on Korean tourism via our dedicated Web site and printed materials, provision of familiarization tour programs for invited travel agents and media people, collaborative PR programs with international airlines and multinational corporations, and others. In conducting these promotional programs, we utilize different advertising strategies according to different target markets.

In order to improve travel services for foreign visitors, we are also conducting various promotional campaigns in Korea. We're distributing a travel service manual for travel agents and the general public, developing home-stay and home-visit programs, and improving tourist information services and reservation systems. We're also conducting a highly successful campaign to improve the cleanliness of public toilets and, most importantly, educational programs to change Koreans' attitude toward visitors.  

How does Visit Korea 2001 fit into Korea's overall tourism strategy?

It is widely recognized that tourism is highly productive economically in terms of foreign currency earnings and job creation. According to a study recently conducted by the Korean Tourism Research Institute, one foreign tourist visiting Korea creates the same economic benefit as does the export of 10 small-sized TV sets.

Tourism also contributes to fostering world peace by promoting international and intercultural understanding among people of the globe. Recognizing the economic, cultural and political importance of tourism, the Korean government regards tourism as a national strategic priority industry. Local autonomies also are striving to develop tourism in their respective jurisdictions. Among others in government, President Kim is strongly committed to the promotion of national tourism. In fact, he declared 2001 as Visit Korea Year as part of an overall strategy to spur the development of the tourism industry.

What impression do you hope visitors will gain should they visit Korea in 2001?

Tourism plays a crucial role in forming the image of a nation among people of the world. These national images impact significantly upon a nation's political, economic and cultural relations with other nations. We plan to maximize every opportunity within the Visit Korea 2001 project to promote a positive impression of Korea and its culture to foreign visitors. We hope that foreign visitors will return home feeling that Korea has a rich and elegant cultural tradition, beautiful and well-conserved natural landscapes, a just and orderly social life, and people that are peace-loving, friendly citizens of the world. Most of all, we hope that their trip will inspire foreign visitors to revisit Korea to discover more about this fascinating and varied country.

By Charles Duerden (cad@kotra.or.kr)