Korea all-out to lure Chinese back
By Jhoo Dong-chan
Asiana Airlines will invite some 150 CEOs of Chinese travel agencies for tour events here next week aimed at boosting Korea’s sagging tourism industry following the recent outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
They are among some 200 Chinese guests, to include 40 travel writers and 10 influential bloggers, the firm said.
Asiana Airlines sponsors the four-day promotional events that kick off on July 15, jointly with the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), Incheon International Airport Corp., Hana Tour and Lotte Group.
Chinese people will participate in various tourist programs including a tour to the Lotte World Tower being built in southern Seoul and a ferry trip along the Han River.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon is also expected to join one of the tour activities in Myoung-dong where 73 percent of Chinese tourists reportedly visit during their stay in Korea.
The invitation program is a part of the country’s efforts to revitalize the tourism sector experiencing a sharp decrease in the number of foreign visitors since the MERS outbreak.
A total of 21 percent of foreign tourists on daily average has decreased compared with the previous year due to the disease, according to the KTO.
“We hope the events will be a turning point for the struggling tourism industry. We need to let the Chinese people know that Korea is a safe country to visit,” said Asiana CEO Kim Soo-cheon.
The airline operates 32 air routes in 24 different Chinese cities, which accounts for 18.9 percent of its total sales revenue.
To help the private sector, the government plans to exempt visa fees for foreign tourist groups from today until Sept. 30.
According to data from Asiana and its domestic rival Korean Air, the seat occupancy rates of flights sank in June when people canceled their trips in fear of MERS.
The total number of passengers on domestic and international flights came to 5.99 million in June, down 10 percent from a year ago. The occupancy rates for international and domestic flights were 65.3 percent and 70.8 percent, respectively.