Boosting domestic tourism

Byun Choo-suk, CEO of the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), speaks during a Sept. 2 ceremony to announce “2014 Autumn Tourism Week,” which will run from Sept. 25 through Oct. 5, at the Jeongdong Theater in downtown Seoul. During the 11-day campaign, KORAIL, bus operators, hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses will offer discounts and other benefits to encourage people to travel domestically. / Courtesy of KTO

‘Autumn Tourism Week’

will begin on Sept. 25 and

last through Oct. 5

By Lee Hyo-sik

A nationwide campaign will run from Sept. 25 through Oct. 5 to encourage more Koreans to travel domestically and revitalize the economy in doing so.

According to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), 3,745 bus companies, hotels, restaurants and other tourism-related businesses across the country will participate in the 11-day sales event.

Dubbed “2014 Autumn Tourism Week,” the domestic tourism promotion campaign was first suggested during a meeting chaired by President Park Geun-hye in February.

To encourage more people to travel domestically rather than head overseas, the tourism ministry and KTO launched “2104 Spring Tourism Week” in May when more than 1,600 businesses offered customers discounts and a wide range of benefits. However, the campaign largely failed to achieve its intended goals as people refrained from spending money in the wake of the sinking of the ferry Sewol on April 16.

But this time tourism authorities are confident that the upcoming event will greatly help improve the bottom line of tourist-related businesses.

“Over 3,700 businesses will participate in the 2014 Autumn Tourism Week campaign, more than twice the number in the previous campaign. Businesses plan to offer tourists deep discounts and diverse benefits,” KTOCEO Byun Choo-suk said. “We have been preparing the upcoming sales event in cooperation with tourism-related private businesses. I am positive that the event will help boost the domestic tourism industry and provide much-needed vigor to regional economies.”

Among benefits provided to tourists, KORAIL, the state-run railway operator will slash ticket prices by 20 percent for its regular and tourist trains on weekdays during the 11-day event. But the KTX bullet train will not offer the discount.

Kumho Bus Lines, the country’s largest long-distance bus operator, will sell seats at a 30 percent discount for those who purchase five- and seven-day passes. SK Energy, which operates the nation’s largest gas station franchise, will give 2,000 won ($1.90) cash back to motorists who buy gas at its 70 stations located near popular tourism spots, while its rental car unit will offer up to 75 percent discounts to those renting vehicles.

In addition, about 180 hotels, resorts and other lodging facilities will participate in the campaign by lowering room rates by up to 60 percent, while nearly 1,600 restaurants nationwide will cut food prices. Cinemas, discount stores, coffee shops and other retailers will join the nationwide tourism promotion event as well.

Municipal governments plan to operate 156 tour programs in order to attract more tourists to their regions. In Seoul, entrance fees to palaces and other famous tourist sites will be halved, while city tour bus fares in Seoul and Busan will become 20 percent cheaper.