Gyeongju tourism industry recuperates from last year's earthquake

The tourism industry is picking up in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, after being shaken by earthquakes last September.

The number of visitors increased over 90 percent from a year earlier, reaching 3.5 million as of late April.

More than 70 percent of the growth came in April, thanks to cherry blossom festivals there. The city’s industry has also benefited from the many holidays in early May, as people rushed to reserve spots in hotels and condos, most of which had been fully booked weeks ahead.

Hotels, restaurants and major attractions have drawn throngs of people with big sale events, which will continue until May 14.

For the industry that has almost seen a full recovery from last year’s shock, one task still remains: bringing back school field trips. The number of school trips plunged, with some schools even canceling prearranged visits, as more than 600 mild quakes have occurred since. Only 30 schools have visited or are planning to bring their students to the ancient city of Silla Kingdom, previously a popular field trip destination.

One city government official commented, "Unlike individual tourists, we have seen less and less student groups visiting the area. Students and parents seem anxious about the aftershocks although they haven’t caused further damage.”

Gyeongju City and North Gyeongsang Province have embarked on full restoration efforts, such as providing safety information for facilities scheduled for use during school visits.