Park Ji-won is a writer for The Korea Times who has been covering a wide range of topics from Korea’s culture to its politics. An avid journalism enthusiast to the core, Ji-won brings a thoughtful and unique perspective to every topic she covers. On weekends, you'll often find her contemplating life’s purpose on a yoga mat — with a cup of quality tea in hand. A native Korean speaker by birth and fluent in English through her work, she went to college in Japan and is learning Chinese and French — hoping to add Polish, Russian and Thai to the mix.
Visa gives travel tips through podcasts
This is a captured image of a video clip promoting “Sohn Mina’s Travel Dictionary” podcast. Visa recently teamed up with Sohn for the service, which provides travel tips throughout the world. / Courtesy of Visa Card
By Park Ji-won
By Park Ji-won
Visa, the world’s largest global payment network headquartered in the United States, said Monday that it has started providing travel tips to travelers through podcast, which is aired by former announcer Sohn Mi-na, said the company Thursday.
To that end, the company has collaborated with anchor-turned-travel writer Sohn Mi-na to create a series of audio and video podcasts on ‘Sohn Mina’s Travel Dictionary’ that gives listeners must-know travel tips about some must-visit destinations including London, Paris and New York.
It was the first time a major company in Korea has attempted such a sponsorship. “Sohn Mina's Travel Dictionary” is ranked first in the social and cultural category, with approximately 3 million listeners and viewers. Podcasts have taken off in Korea over the last couple of years with more than 5,650 currently running in Korea.
“As a travel editor, it is my greatest opportunity to join hands with Visa, which I consider to be the best, most convenient card for travelers going abroad,” Sohn said.
The first attempt of collaboration between the global payment network and a celebrity travel expert has seized opportunity beyond conventional channels to consumers and an attempt to vitalize travel business more.
The special podcast, including video podcast programs, on London, Paris and New York is providing consumers with more practical and informative travel advice through Sohn.
By using the world’s largest global retail electronic payments network, customers can have more options for making safe, reliable and convenient payments when they travel.
Visa lends expertise accumulated over the years to Sohn Mi-na as she develops this three-part series, which will include travel stories and practical advice for people planning to travel abroad for pleasure or for business.
In “Travel Dictionary,” Sohn will visit a number of famous Visa merchants, introducing these special benefits received from using Visa branded cards.
Podcast listeners and viewers will also learn about special privileges Visa cardholders can enjoy at some of the world’s top tourist landmarks.
Visa and Sohn are currently creating studio episodes for London and Paris, sharing much of travel knowledge and experiences on these locations.
The London episode was launched on April 30 with a great number of downloads, and the Paris episode will be launched on May 30.
The New York episode will be filmed in front of a live audience and cover listeners’ New York travel stories.
In London and Paris episodes, which was and will be broadcasted in video podcast form as well, Sohn gives vivid descriptions on every single tourism experience she gathered, such as afternoon tea and gardening experiences in London, and the popular sites she visited to be featured together with distinctive benefits for Visa cardholders.
In order to spread the meaningful collaboration widely and some episodes with exclusive travel tips, the travel-radio-podcast has hosted various online events targeted at consumers on the official Facebook page as well.
“I’ve never tried this kind of partnership before on my show and it is allowing me to create special episodes for London, Paris and New York. Thanks to Visa, I am sure my Travel Dictionary listeners will get valuable and practical travel tips for the upcoming vacation season,” Sohn said.
James Dixon, president of Visa Korea said, “We are proud to be working with ‘Sohn Mina’s Travel Dictionary’ to provide useful travel information and extend our commitment to boosting the local tourism industry.”
“With our strong merchant relationships globally, we will provide the best possible travel experience for Sohn, and invite podcast listeners to understand the convenience, security and other benefits of using their Visa cards.”
All travel stories and benefits offered at Visa merchants at the three travel destinations will be fully covered in the printed magazine, MOVE by STORY, which publishes simultaneously with the podcast. Podcasts and MOVE by STORY are available on the official iTunes site for ‘Sohn Mina’s Travel Dictionary (https://itunes.apple.com/kr/podcast/id585111653)’.