KTO to host travel fair in UAE

Officials from the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) speak at the Korea Medical & Wellness Travel Mart in Dubai, in this 2017 photo. This year, the KTO will host the Korea Culture & Tourism Festival in Abu Dhabi. / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

By Jung Hae-myoung

The Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) will hold the Korea Culture & Tourism Festival in Abu Dhabi, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), from Nov. 1 to 3, to attract more Middle Eastern visitors, the tourism body said Tuesday.

The festival's theme is “Korea Happiness Festival” ― reflecting Middle Eastern culture which values family ― to target family tourists.

Top Korean medical institutions and agencies, including the Asan Medical Center and the Jaseng Hospital of Korean Medicine, will take part to promote medical tourism to Korea. More than 40 companies and travel agencies, such as The Face Shop and Etude House, will join in to attract female consumers.

In 2017, about 3,400 medical tourists from the UAE visited Korea. Their average expenditure per person was 10.7 million won ($9,332), which was 5.4 times the amount spent by medical tourists from other countries.

“People in Middle Eastern countries are showing a growing interest in Korean culture, and the number of tourists from those countries to Korea is growing,” said Kim Man-jin, head of the KTO's international tourism strategy team. “With the event, we'll strengthen promotion and marketing of Korean tourism.”

―