 Korea Tourism Organization (KTO)’s President Oh Jee-chul says Korea needs to improve its infrastructure and people should turn more hospitable toward foreigners to boost tourism. / Korea Times Photo by Shim Hyun-chul |
By Kim Rahn
Staff Reporter
South Korea is underutilizing its geographical advantage of being in the middle of Japan and China, the two biggest tour markets for the country. To make the most of the advantage, it should do its homework first ― upgrading both tourism hardware and software, said Oh Jee-chul, president of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).
To satisfy the sophisticated needs of foreign tourists, the improvement of infrastructure and cultivation of public hospitality toward foreign tourists are essential, he said. Just like companies are putting a greater emphasis on customer satisfaction policies, the country should grope for ways to elevate the levels of traveler satisfaction, he said.
``What's important is how much we can satisfy them, then how many will come to Korea will be decided as a result,'' Oh said in an interview with The Korea Times.
Korea's natural beauty or historical, cultural properties are not much different from those of China and Japan in some sense. Therefore, to make the country distinctive and appealing, it should develop things that will differentiate itself from the neighboring nations, he said.
``Japan is one of the countries where a large number of people travel overseas, and China has huge potential for travelers. Having such countries nearby is lucky in tourism, but at the same time, it is disaster as Korea does not have distinctive natural, historical attractions from theirs,'' Oh said.
Oh said that what should compensate for the weak point is Korea's unique entertainment and fine infrastructure. ``Having delicious food, cheap shopping and diverse products, and experiencing exotic culture ― this is the tour trend these days. But Korea has neglected preparing such stuff,'' the president said.
He added Korea also needs more travel infrastructure including tourism complexes, one-stop shopping malls such as Tokyo Midtown, and low and mid-priced hotels.
Tourist-Friendly Attitude
What is more important than infrastructure is tourist-friendly attitude and public recognition about hospitality, Oh stressed, pointing out signboards and directional signs which foreigners cannot easily understand.
``There are signs written in English, but barely in Chinese or Japanese. In Japan, many shops and travel attractions have Korean-speaking clerks and Korean-language guidebooks, because such services make Koreans' travel in the country less difficult and helps bring more Koreans. Just promoting Korean tourism without proper preparation is not a proper attitude to receive visitors, and cannot produce repeat tourists,'' Oh said.
The KTO head also said all people ― from immigration officers and airport bus limousine drivers to workers at tourist attractions, restaurant servers and ordinary citizens on the street ― should recognize that tourism is a services business which requires hospitality and friendliness, not a brusque manner.
``Foreigners say living in Japan is more comfortable than in Korea. In terms of ordinary citizens' English ability, Japan may not be superior to Korea, but Japanese people are services-minded and have the sincerity to help. It is a matter of attitude, willingness to communicate, rather than a matter of language skill itself,'' Oh said.
At the end of the year, the tourism body plans to assess 50 cities and counties and announce the top five that are evaluated as providing services that are cheap, have quality and are kind to travelers, so that the assessment can bring competition among local authorities for better services. It is also a preparatory step for the Visit Korea campaign, which the KTO plans to promote from 2010 to 2012.
``Only in Korea'' Programs
What foreigners want in traveling to Korea are things that they can do only here.
Temple stays, the main participants of which used to be Europeans, are now gaining popularity among Japanese as ``Buddhist tourism,'' Oh said. In the Gwaneum Order of Japanese Buddhism, it is believed that those making a pilgrimage to 33 Gwaneum temples can achieve their dreams. About 2,000 Japanese will visit Korea's 33 temples this year, and the KTO aims to invite a total 10,000 temple visitors by 2010.
The separation of the country can be a tourist program as well.
``The Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating North and South Koreas is the scene of separation and pain, but at the same time, it is a symbol of peace with a natural ecosystem that has been untouched for a long time. We are developing tour packages involving the DMZ and nearby cultural assets,'' Oh said.
The tourism body recently developed a program connecting Seoul, a section of the DMZ in Gangwon Province, and Mount Geumgang in North Korea.
The KTO is also developing tour programs of four South Jeolla provincial cities, which have been designated as ``Slow Cities.''
The Slow City movement started in Italy in 1999, and aims to pursue a humane life by preferring pleasure to profit, human beings to offices, and slowness to speed. About 100 cities are designated as Slow Cities, and the four Korean cities are the only ones in Asia.
``For modern people in a busy world, living slowly with traditional customs, culture, communities and nature will be attractive,'' Oh said.
Korea's quality medical skills and cheap fees are also attractive, he said, along with herbal therapy and a combination of Oriental and Western medicines. But there are regulations that should be eased to promote the field.
``The current law allows only doctors or medical schools to set up and manage hospitals, while investors cannot do so. The law also bans medical promotions overseas, so a revision is underway to allow agents to promote hospitals to patients in other countries,'' Oh said.
There are other difficulties such as lack of English-speaking medical staff and lodgings near hospitals where patients or their families can stay. ``Medical tourism is a high-value business. Despite the difficulties, Korea's medical tourism is likely to flourish in five to 10 years, with potential patients from China and Russia, as well as Korean residents overseas,'' Oh said.
About ``hallyu,'' or Korea Wave, Oh said a couple of dramas or movies cannot sustain this.
``We need to pay attention to the `Japanese Wave.' Through dozens of years, sushi has become one of the world's best dishes, while the kimono has become a garment representing Asia. Japanese culture such as animation, games, and literature like Haruki Murakami's novels, has been adopted worldwide. A long time will be needed for Korean culture to be developed and spread into the world like that,'' he said.
Oh said tourism can be developed based on such a culture. ``Tourism policy has to concentrate on increasing travelers' satisfaction and making them come back again.''
rahnita@koreatimes.co.kr
