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Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooGrand Hilton hosting early-bird event for OktoberfestThe Grand Hilton Seoul is selling early bird tickets for this year's Oktoberfest, the largest beer festival here. For its loyal customers, the tickets are discounted 15 percent off of their normal price until the end of July. This year's edition will be held on Sept. 7, featuring German traditional handmade beer Grevensteiner and Veltins Pilsner along with an unlimited variety of traditional German dishes and a colorful buffet including homemade sausages, Schweinshaxe and pretzels.Launched in 2007, the property's Oktoberfest has now become its signature festival, attracting more than 1,000 visitors every year. Grand Hyatt Incheon hails new GM The Grand Hyatt Incheon has appointed Nicholas Lacey as its new general manager. Prior to his current position, the Australian served as general manager at the newly rebranded Grand Hyatt Hangzhou and was the inaugural general manager at the Park Hyatt Sanya Sunny Bay Resort. His over 20 years of experience with Hyatt in various fields has led him to work for a number of flag

Jul 16, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Hotel Lobby

Japanese travel boycott intensifies

Calls are growing for Koreans to Boycott travel to Japan. / Korea Times fileBy Kang Seung-wooA mother of two children, surnamed Kang, had planned for some time to take her family to Sapporo, Japan.But the famous Odori Park and Sapporo Clock Tower are no longer on her itinerary ― the family will now go to the Vietnamese resort city of Da Nang amid an intensifying campaign for Koreans to boycott travel to Japan; a campaign sparked by Tokyo's trade restrictions on three key materials that Korean companies need to make semiconductors and flat-panel displays.“In the wake of the Boycott Japan campaign, I was unsure about whether to cancel the trip,” Kang said. “But my oldest son advised me not to go, so we changed the destination, although we had to pay a cancellation fee.”Kang is not alone in boycotting travel to Japan, with more Koreans avoiding visiting the neighboring country, according to a recent data. In 2018, 7.5 million Koreans visited Japan, compared with 3 million Japanese traveling to Korea. The average cancelation rate for Japanese travel programs

Jul 14, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Japanese travel boycott intensifies

Macao's St. Regis, Sheraton courting Koreans with distinction

The St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central impresses customers with its signature butler service. / Courtesy of St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central By Kang Seung-wooMacao is becoming a popular destination for Korean travelers. According to statistics from the Macao Government Tourism Office, the number of Koreans who visited the Chinese special administrative region in the first quarter of 2019 was 8.3 percent higher than the same period last year.Daniella Tonetto, general manager of sales and marketing at the Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central and the St. Regis Macao, speaks during an interview in Seoul. / Courtesy of St. Regis Macao, Cotai CentralIn addition, putting aside Greater China that includes Hong Kong and Taiwan, Korea is the largest international market for the region. In 2018, a total of 812,842 people flew there. That is why Daniella Tonetto, general manager of sales and marketing at the Sheraton Grand Macao Hotel, Cotai Central and the St. Regis Macao, Cotai Central has come to Korea for the third straight year to host a road show to promote their properties to Korean travel

Jul 11, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Macao's St. Regis, Sheraton courting Koreans with distinction

Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooParadise City to host Aqua Pool Party Paradise City will hold a two-day pool party featuring high-profile DJs. The Aqua Paradise Pool Party will be held on July 19 and 20 at the property's outdoor pool, and Axtone Records' D.O.D will headline the lineup that will also include local DJs. It starts at 3 p.m. and ends at midnight.The pool party will be followed by an after-party at Chroma, where English DJ and record producer Tom Staar will join D.O.D. Chroma is the largest nightclub in Northeast Asia. The pool party package is also available, featuring two tickets and two glasses of beer along with a one-night stay in a deluxe room. Imperial Palace to offer benefits for loyal customersTo reward customer loyalty, the Imperial Palace Seoul has come up with a promotion giving more benefits to those who book a stay through its official website.Guests who book a superior room or a business room from Sunday to Thursday will receive a free upgrade to a deluxe room on a first-come, first-served basis and those who book a deluxe room can have free snacks in the lounge on the 20

Jul 10, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
Hotel Lobby

'G20 video' pits YouTuber against Cheong Wa Dae

By Kang Hyun-kyungIt was a 14-minute video that triggered a once-unknown YouTuber to rise to fame after trading barbs with Cheong Wa Dae in a truth game. That video contained a condensed version of open sessions of the recent G20 Summit held June 28 and 29 in Osaka, Japan. It was uploaded Thursday by the YouTuber “AforYou,” short for “Apartment for You” as the channel was created in 2012 to provide “accurate, reliable information on apartments” to help consumers looking to buy new homes. The video titled “South Korea was Not There in G20” features the leaders of the world's 20 most powerful economies as well as leaders of international institutions who were invited to the summit. President Moon Jae-in is seen from time to time, leaving his seat vacant or sometimes occupied by Finance Minister Hong Nam-ki on behalf of the South Korean leader.AforYou claims Moon is seen for only 50 seconds or so in what he called the full video, stating the G20 Summit is where a flurry of summits are held among leaders from the world's most powerful count

Jul 9, 2019By Kang Hyun-kyung
'G20 video' pits YouTuber against Cheong Wa Dae

INTERVIEW Novotel Dongdaemun making soft-landing in tough market

The outdoor infinity pool on the 21st floor of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels and Residences offers the perfect spot to enjoy an evening sunset overlooking the city skyline. / Courtesy of Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels and ResidencesBy Kang Seung-wooA year ago, the Novotel Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun Hotels and Residences joined what critics describe as the saturated Korean market.The world's 500th Novotel property and French multinational hospitality company AccorHotels' first mixed-use property, the colorful description was not able to temper concerns over its viability here. Cho Min-sook, general manager of the Novotel Ambassador Dongdaemun Hotels and Residences / Courtesy of Novotel Ambassador Dongdaemun Hotels and ResidencesHowever, looking back over the past year, Cho Min-sook, its general manager, believes her property has established itself as a leading player in the Dongdaemun district, achieving its inaugural target return.“Celebrating the first anniversary, we have reached the revenue goal ― although the first year's financial target is usuall

Jul 4, 2019By Kang Seung-woo
[INTERVIEW] Novotel Dongdaemun making soft-landing in tough market

Korea sends police officers to Croatia to protect tourists

Hvar town, Croatia / GettyimagesbankSouth Korea has sent six police officers to Croatia to protect an increasing number of its nationals visiting the country, the National Police Agency (NPA) said Tuesday. They are currently in Zagreb, Dubrovnik and Split and began jointly patrolling streets with local police Monday.It is the first time that Korean police officers have been dispatched overseas for tourist protection, the agency said.About 410,000 South Koreans visited the European country last year, 5.5 times as many as the number in 2013. The two countries signed an agreement on the police dispatch in April after South Korea accepted Croatia's proposal, the agency said. (Yonhap)

Jul 2, 2019
Korea sends police officers to Croatia to protect tourists

Fans tune into YouTube for backstory

Actors Song Hye-kyo, left, and Song Joong-ki enter the Kyung Hee University Peace Hall together for the Baeksang Arts Awards in this June 2016 file photo. The two married the next year. Husband Song filed for divorce last week, after less than two years of marriage. / Korea Times fileYouTube creators earning views from breakup of Song-Song coupleBy Kang Hyun-kyungYouTube channels covering stories about celebrities have been enjoying a rare boost in the wake of the breakup of star couple Song Joong-ki and Song Hye-kyo. Unconvinced by the two Songs' official statements about the reason behind their breakup, internet users are flocking to channels claiming to provide the backstory to satisfy their curiosity. “Entertainment Editor” run by former journalist Kim Young-ho is one of the largest beneficiaries. The YouTube channel's first episode about the Song-Song couple with the sensational title of “Unfaithful Wife Song?” which was uploaded on Thursday, has had over 1 million views in four days. It is the highest number of views on any video since Kim launched his c

Jul 1, 2019By Kang Hyun-kyung
Fans tune into YouTube for backstory

July festivals calendar

In this July 18, 2010, file photo, people enjoy the Boryeong Mud Festival at Daecheon Beach at Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province. Korea Times fileThe following are major cultural and tourist festivals to be held in South Korea in July.Boryeong Mud FestivalWhen: July 19-28Where: Boryeong, South Chungcheong ProvinceThe 22nd Boryeong Mud Festival will be held at Daecheon Beach on South Korea's western coast. Boryeong is famous for its abundant natural resources and beautiful scenery, and Daecheon is one of the largest and best swimming beaches in the country, drawing more than 10 million visitors annually. The festival offers a chance to bathe in a massive mud tub, receive mud massages, compete in the "Mud King" contest and participate in a mud photo contest. Tourists will also be able to buy various mud-based cosmetics products at discounted prices.For more information, call 041-930-0891 or visit www.mudfestival.or.kr.Bucheon International Fantastic Film FestivalWhen: June 27-July 7Where: Bucheon, Gyeonggi ProvinceThe 2019 Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival will enchant f

Jun 30, 2019
July festivals calendar

'2019 DMZ Peace Festival' wishes for peace on Korean Peninsula

A poster for the “2019 Peace Festival.” Courtesy of GCS International, Kukmin IlboBy Anna J. ParkFestivities under the “2019 DMZ Peace Festival” banner will be held Saturday at Imjingak Pyeonghoa-Nuri Park, on the edge of the inter-Korean truce village in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The event aims to promote inter-Korean peace and encourage ongoing peace talks on the Korean Peninsula, as U.S. President Trump arrives for a visit to South Korea this weekend. Hosted by GCS International and Kukmin Ilbo, the event is backed by the government and other sponsors, including parliamentary foreign affairs, education, and culture committees.The opening ceremony will start at 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the park, followed by two elite Taekwondo demonstrations, as well as a massive performance by some 5,000 Taekwondo practitioners from across the nation.A walking event for inter-Korean peace is scheduled for the afternoon along the 9.1-kilometer eco-trail in Paju that was opened to the public in April. Previously, because the trails are beyond the Civilian Control Line near

Jun 28, 2019By Anna J. Park
'2019 DMZ Peace Festival' wishes for peace on Korean Peninsula
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