The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
The Korea Times
amn_close.png
amn_bl.png
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
amn_bl.png
Business
  • Tech
  • Bio
  • Companies
  • World Expo 2030
amn_bl.png
Finance
  • Companies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Cryptocurrency
amn_bl.png
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to President
  • Letter to the Editor
amn_bl.png
Lifestyle
  • Travel & Food
  • Trends
  • People & Events
  • Books
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
amn_bl.png
Entertainment & Arts
  • K-pop
  • Films
  • Shows & Dramas
  • Music
  • Theater & Others
amn_bl.png
Sports
amn_bl.png
World
  • SCMP
  • Asia
amn_bl.png
Video
  • Korean Storytellers
  • POPKORN
  • Culture
  • People
  • News
amn_bl.png
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
amn_NK.png amn_DR.png amn_LK.png amn_LE.png
  • bt_fb_on_2022.svgbt_fb_over_2022.svg
  • bt_twitter_on_2022.svgbt_twitter_over_2022.svg
  • bt_youtube_on_2022.svgbt_youtube_over_2022.svg
  • bt_instagram_on_2022.svgbt_instagram_over_2022.svg
  • Login
  • Register
  • Login
  • Register
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
  • 1

    Korea falls to Italy in FIFA U-20 World Cup semifinals

  • 3

    Actor Yoo Ah-in suspected of taking 2 more types of drugs

  • 5

    OpenAI explores investment opportunities in Korean startups: Sam Altman

  • 7

    IPO market regains vigor on bullish KOSPI

  • 9

    China's hallyu restrictions likely to continue unless Seoul-Beijing ties improve

  • 11

    China reaches out to Korean Assembly to counterweigh Yoon's bet on US

  • 13

    INTERVIEWCIX talks about team chemistry, youth theme

  • 15

    SPC bolsters PR activities in US

  • 17

    4 Children lost for 40 days in Colombian Amazon found alive

  • 19

    Japanese business leaders pledge to support Busan's Expo bid

  • 2

    Rising minimum wage burdens small biz owners: survey

  • 4

    Jihyo to become 2nd TWICE member to make solo debut

  • 6

    'The Childe': blood-soaked crime thriller with chilling chase scenes

  • 8

    Philippines Day celebrated in Gwangju

  • 10

    Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min team up for Joseon-era thriller 'War and Revolt'

  • 12

    S. Korea may see rise in NK defectors as Pyongyang mulls reopening borders

  • 14

    Resurging household loans pose challenge for BOK's rate policy

  • 16

    OpenAI CEO visits Korea as country seeks to encourage AI development

  • 18

    Hyundai Motor partners with Spider-Man animation to envision future mobility

  • 20

    NCT to hold Korea-Japan stadium tour

Close scrollclosebutton

Close for 24 hours

Open
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • all menu
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Photos
  • Video
  • World
  • Sports
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment & Art
  • Lifestyle
  • Finance
  • Business
  • National
  • North Korea
National
  • Politics
  • Foreign Affairs
  • Multicultural Community
  • Defense
  • Environment & Animals
  • Law & Crime
  • Society
  • Health & Science
Sun, June 11, 2023 | 09:04
Seoul Disputes Lonely Planets Least Favorite City Label
Posted : 2010-01-07 21:20
Updated : 2010-01-07 21:20
Print PreviewPrint Preview
Font Size UpFont Size Up
Font Size DownFont Size Down
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • kakaolink
  • whatsapp
  • reddit
  • mailto
  • link
By Do Je-hae
Staff Reporter

A harsh review of Seoul from Lonely Planet, the world's largest travel guide book and digital media publisher, has drawn mixed reactions here.

Recently, the travel book's Web site posted a list of the world's nine ``least favorite destinations,'' and Seoul was rated third on the list, after Detroit in the U.S. and Ghana's Accra.

The Web site describes Seoul as ``an appallingly repetitive sprawl of freeways and Soviet-style concrete apartment buildings, horribly polluted, with no heart or spirit to it.''

Officials are casting doubt on the basis and criterion of the selection.

According to a recent BBC report, the list was based on comments from netizens and travelers.

A Seoul City spokesman said Wednesday that the list was compiled from a total of 42 comments to the question ``What are your least favorite cities?'' posted on the Lonely Planet Web site.

Seoul's position is that the survey is biased and groundless, as only two of the 42 comments were related to Seoul. The criterion, number of respondents and the exact margin of error of the survey have not been disclosed.

``We believe that the list was initiated as a tool to generate a buzz and controversy,'' said Cho Won-joon, an official in charge of tourism promotion with the Seoul city administration. ``Foreign tourists are increasingly satisfied with their stay in Seoul,'' Cho said.

In 2007, around 79 percent of inbound tourists said they were satisfied with their visit to Seoul, and the figure reached almost 85 percent in 2009, according to the latest survey by the metropolitan government.

Authorities said that Seoul's constant publicity campaigns have been met with positive reactions from its residents. In a survey conducted July 2007, 82 percent of 1,000 respondents were satisfied with the city's overseas marketing drives.

However, such a domestic reaction is a departure from some overseas reports, which have been critical of Seoul's ``brand marketing'' initiatives for lack of uniqueness, especially in comparison to tourism capitals such as New York, Paris and London.

While authorities were quick to issue rebuttals, urban planners and some citizens say that Lonely Planet's comments reflect an objective and realistic view of Seoul.

It is, after all, one of the most densely populated cities among those in the 30 OECD countries, with severe pollution, and transportation and housing issues.

The view of some of Seoul's traditional landmarks has been overshadowed by the overwhelming sprawl of apartment buildings to accommodate the overflowing population.

This is not the first time Seoul has had to deal with negative travel information from Lonely Planet.

In an effort to correct inaccurate information on Seoul contained in Lonely Planet travel guides published in 2008, Seoul established a task force, comprised of native English speakers and professional travelers, and produced 260 pages of English text and 151 photos for publication. In 2009, Lonely Planet reflected these materials in revised editions.

Meanwhile, the World Tourism Organization Global Code of Ethics stipulates that the ``press and particularly the specialized travel press and the other media, including modern means of electronic communication, should issue honest and balanced information on events and situations that could influence the flow of tourists.''

jhdo@koreatimes.co.kr
 
wooribank
Top 10 Stories
1Rising minimum wage burdens small biz owners: survey Rising minimum wage burdens small biz owners: survey
2OpenAI explores investment opportunities in Korean startups: Sam Altman OpenAI explores investment opportunities in Korean startups: Sam Altman
3IPO market regains vigor on bullish KOSPI IPO market regains vigor on bullish KOSPI
4China reaches out to Korean Assembly to counterweigh Yoon's bet on US China reaches out to Korean Assembly to counterweigh Yoon's bet on US
5S. Korea may see rise in NK defectors as Pyongyang mulls reopening borders S. Korea may see rise in NK defectors as Pyongyang mulls reopening borders
6Resurging household loans pose challenge for BOK's rate policy Resurging household loans pose challenge for BOK's rate policy
7SPC bolsters PR activities in US SPC bolsters PR activities in US
8Hyundai Motor partners with Spider-Man animation to envision future mobility Hyundai Motor partners with Spider-Man animation to envision future mobility
9Japanese business leaders pledge to support Busan's Expo bid Japanese business leaders pledge to support Busan's Expo bid
10More foreign language tours will be offered for Cheong Wa Dae More foreign language tours will be offered for Cheong Wa Dae
Top 5 Entertainment News
1China's hallyu restrictions likely to continue unless Seoul-Beijing ties improve China's hallyu restrictions likely to continue unless Seoul-Beijing ties improve
2Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min team up for Joseon-era thriller 'War and Revolt' Gang Dong-won, Park Jeong-min team up for Joseon-era thriller 'War and Revolt'
3[INTERVIEW] CIX talks about team chemistry, youth theme INTERVIEWCIX talks about team chemistry, youth theme
4Netflix's new original 'Bloodhounds' to deliver cathartic actionNetflix's new original 'Bloodhounds' to deliver cathartic action
5'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film 'Leaving Las Vegas' director Mike Figgis puts Korea in spotlight in new film
DARKROOM
  • Turkey-Syria earthquake

    Turkey-Syria earthquake

  • Nepal plane crash

    Nepal plane crash

  • Brazil capital uprising

    Brazil capital uprising

  • Happy New Year 2023

    Happy New Year 2023

  • World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

    World Cup 2022 Final - Argentina vs France

CEO & Publisher : Oh Young-jin
Digital News Email : webmaster@koreatimes.co.kr
Tel : 02-724-2114
Online newspaper registration No : 서울,아52844
Date of registration : 2020.02.05
Masthead : The Korea Times
Copyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.
  • About Us
  • Introduction
  • History
  • Contact Us
  • Products & Services
  • Subscribe
  • E-paper
  • RSS Service
  • Content Sales
  • Site Map
  • Policy
  • Code of Ethics
  • Ombudsman
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Copyright Policy
  • Family Site
  • Hankook Ilbo
  • Dongwha Group