Seoul invites visitors to enjoy Sunday's 'Eco Walking Tour'

The “2016 Discover Seoul (Eco Walking Tour)” invites foreigners to Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park in Hangang River Park on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. / Courtesy of korean.visitseoul.net

By Hong Dam-young

Autumn in Korea brings pleasant weather to enjoy the outdoors.

If you are searching for a place to walk and enjoy the natural environment, Seoul’s “Eco Walking Tour” could be for you.

The “2016 Discover Seoul (Eco Walking Tour)” invites foreigners to Yeouido Saetgang Ecological Park in Hangang River Park on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Co-hosted by Seoul City and the Seoul Tourism Marketing Office, the festival welcomes participants to enjoy the natural environment of Saetgang Ecological Park. Starting from Hanwha 63 City building, participants will walk about five kilometers through the park to Seoul Marina Club and Yacht.

The highlight of the event is the “Saetgang AR activity,” where participants “collect” animals and plants in the park with an augmented-reality smartphone app like “Pokemon Go”. A giant chalkboard offers participants a chance to “create their own Saetgang” in a chalk art activity. There also will be many other colorful activities.

China’s largest online travel service, C-trip, which has participated in organizing the programs, estimated that about 1,000 Chinese tourists booked flights to attend the event, an official from the Seoul Tourism Marketing Office said. Some 3,000 Seoul citizens are also expected to participate.

“In the midst of a surge in tourists in Korea, we have developed an event where they can participate with Koreans and enjoy the nature of Seoul,” the official told The Korea Times.

KBS World Channel will air the festival in about 80 countries, including China, Japan and the U.S., on Oct. 9.