Municipalities join hands to revive tourism
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Governor Won Hee-ryong, third from right, and Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon, right, show bowls of fruit salad from Jeju during the island’s tourism promotion campaign in Myeong-dong, downtown Seoul, Thursday. / Yonhap
By Chung Ah-young
Municipal governments and the private sector are making all-out efforts to boost the sagging tourism industry which was hit hard by the outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS).
Jeju Special Self-Governing Province Governor Won Hee-ryong came to Seoul, Thursday, in an attempt to lure foreign visitors in the capital, as well as Seoul citizens, to visit Jeju.
“We hope that not only foreigners but also Koreans will visit the island. I think if as many Koreans come to the island as before, foreigners will too,” Won said during a promotional event in Myeong-dong, one of the capital’s most popular tourist destinations.
Seoul Mayor Park Won-soon also took part in reinvigorating the nation’s tourism industry.
“We are seeking to cooperate with the Seoul Metropolitan Government to boost the tourism industry overseas, particularly in China, because many foreign tourists visit both the capital and the island during their stay in Korea,” Won said.
For Koreans, the Jeju Special Self-Governing Provincial Tourism Association has launched a Hot Sale promotion: a gift event and a wedding event for couples who travel to the island.
To attract foreigners, Won will visit China and other countries to meet travel agents and portal site operators. “We are planning to go to China first in August to discuss ways to attract more Chinese tourists to the island,” he said.
According to the association, the number of both domestic and foreign tourists in June was slashed to a fifth of last year’s figure. It decreased especially after a man carrying the MERS virus visited Jeju in early June.
Following the MERS outbreak in May, the number of foreigners visiting Korea in June plunged to 640,000 from 1.03 million a year before. The number of travel bookings for July and August also plunged to 200,000 from 1.13 million.
Seoul has also strived to get tourists back, holding various events with the private sector. Along with Asiana Airlines, the city government held a “walking” event in Myeong-dong on the same day, inviting 300 Chinese journalists and travel agents.
“This event was meaningful as both the private and public sectors are making concerted efforts to promote that this area is free from MERS,” Cho Kyu-young, an Asiana executive director, said.
The effort goes beyond the border.
Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Kim Jong-seok met Hong Kong's Secretary for Commerce and Economic Development Gregory So, Thursday, in Hong Kong.
The minister asked him to consider downgrading a travel advisory on Korea as the epidemic is subsiding. Hong Kong issued a red travel warning for Korea, the second-highest of its three levels, since June and advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel to Korea.
Before the meeting, Kim met representatives of Hong Kong tourism agencies. “This meeting is expected to contribute to expanding tourism exchange between Korea and Hong Kong,” Kim said.