Eco-friendly tourist spots become popular amid pandemic
The entrance to Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul is quiet amid the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic, Aug. 23. / Korea Times photo by Koh Young-kwonBy Jun Ji-hyeThe prolonged COVID-19 pandemic has brought changes in travel patterns as more people this year opted to visit beaches and rural areas seeking safer travel opportunities in less-crowded destinations.This trend meant traditionally popular tourist spots such as Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province, which is known for its numerous historical landmarks, have seen a decrease in the number of tourists this year from a year earlier. According to a report by Kim Eun-hee, a research specialist at the Korea Tourism Organization, Seoul's Jongno District and Gyeongju have respectively suffered 25.9 and 28.9 decreases in the number of tourists this year, while there was a 30.9 percent fall in the number of visitors to Andong, North Gyeongsang Province. The findings were published in a recent report announced by Statistics Korea.Tourists to Jeju City and Seogwipo City on the southern resort island of Jeju have also decreased by 31.7 percent an
