Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Average spending by foreign tourists to Korea tumbles in Q1

Average spending by foreign tourists visiting Korea has tumbled, according to recent data. gettyimagesbankAverage spending by foreign tourists visiting South Korea has decreased to a level last seen 10 years ago, data showed Tuesday.According to the data from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization, foreign tourists coming to South Korea spent an average of US$1,268 per person per trip in the first quarter of this year. The figure is down 12.1 percent from $1,442 a year ago and marks the fourth quarterly decrease in a row.Average spending hovered around $1,200 in the mid-2000s but rose to $1,298 in 2010 and subsequently grew steadily every year to peak at $1,713 in 2015.However, diplomatic tension with China over Seoul's deployment of a key U.S. defense system ― Terminal High Altitude Area Defense ― slashed the tourist spending figure to $1,625 in 2016 as Chinese tourists shied away from South Korea. Since that year, the number has steadily been on a downturn, taking it back to its 2009 level this year.The data also showed that Chinese tourists

Jun 27, 2019

Average spending by foreign tourists to Korea tumbles in Q1

INTERVIEW 'Room renovation ready to satisfy customers'

By Kang Seung-wooThe word “renovation” sounds like leaving the past behind and pursing a new trend and in that respect, some loyal customers of the iconic Grand Hyatt Seoul may feel apprehensive about the 41-year-old property losing its heritage through its recent remodeling. Adrian Slater, general manager of the Grand Hyatt Seoul / Courtesy of Grand Hyatt SeoulHowever, Adrian Slater, its general manager, believes their concerns would be unfounded as his renovated hotel retains the unforgettable memories it has provided customers for over four decades.The hotel, located high on the slope of Mount Nam, recently completed its renovation of all 615 guest rooms and suites which started back in 2016.“We considered the history of the hotel as one of the most important considerations prior to the renovation,” the Australian hotelier said in an interview with The Korea Times.“We respect the memories left in our customers' minds through various events and historical milestones, and in this context, the direction of the refurbishment to preserve our heritage refle

Jun 27, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

[INTERVIEW] 'Room renovation ready to satisfy customers'

Lotte Hotel unveils promotion for loyal customers

Lotte Hotels and Resorts will launch a promotional event for guests who book a stay via the official website or mobile app. / Courtesy of Lotte Hotels and ResortsBy Kang Seung-wooIn order to reward customer loyalty, Lotte Hotels and Resorts will host a giveaway event that will offer opportunities to stay in the company's properties around the globe. According to the nation's largest hotel operator, its Worldwide x 2 LH Points event will run from July 1 to Aug. 31 and Lotte Hotel Rewards members who book a two-night stay or longer at Lotte properties ― only through its official website or mobile application ― automatically become eligible for the event. However, four hotels ― the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, the Lotte Hotel Samara, the Lotte Hotel Vladivostok and the Lotte City Hotel Tashkent Palace ― are excluded from the event.Signing up for membership is free. One top-prize winner can choose between two options. One features a three-night stay at the Lotte New York Palace Hotel, an airline voucher worth 2 million won ($1,700) and either two tickets to a New York Yankees game or a N

Jun 27, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Lotte Hotel unveils promotion for loyal customers

Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooMillennium Hilton to host New Zealand food festival Cafe 395, the Millennium Seoul Hilton's flagship all-day-dining and buffet restaurant, will host a New Zealand Food Festival until July 7, highlighting fresh and healthy ingredients from New Zealand.During the festival, guest chef Mark Harman will lead the kitchen on how to create New Zealand cuisine and how to best utilize the country's ingredients. The items showcased include kumara coconut and lemongrass soup; marinated New Zealand green-lipped mussels with New Zealand avocado and lime oil; grilled rosemary and garlic New Zealand lamb cutlets with salsa verde; BBQ New Zealand beef skewers with capsicum, courgettes, mushrooms and red onion; and Manuka honey roast pumpkin and kumara.Even New Zealand desserts are being served such as pavlova with New Zealand kiwi and cream, carrot cake with New Zealand cream cheese icing and chocolate raspberry torte with New Zealand butter. Air France-KLM, Accor launch enhanced loyalty program Staring June 20, members of the Flying Blue and Le Club AccorHotels loyalty programs can

Jun 26, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Stars share secret 'idol water' recipe to fight facial bloating

Lemon green tea, sugar and water are three ingredients for the “idol water” which helps reduce facial bloating. The recipe has gone viral online. / Captured from Luna's AlphabetBy Jung Hae-myoung Stars are desperate to prevent facial bloating because a small face is regarded as one of the key factors in their good looks. Some celebrities have devised a way to prevent facial bloating with “special water” and shared this secret tip with their close friends.The secret recipe for special water was made public Tuesday after K-pop girl group HOTPLACE disclosed what they called “idol water” on MBC's morning show “Live Today Morning.” “I drink this water whenever I feel my face is bloated in the morning. Once I drink it, my face soothes in 20 to 30 minutes,” said Si-hyun, a member of the girl group. Ingredients of the specially designed water are simple. All you need is half a liter of water, one bag of green tea, two spoons of sugar and a quarter of a lemon. “I make this before I go to bed, so in the morning I can drink it as

Jun 25, 2019

Stars share secret 'idol water' recipe to fight facial bloating

Spicy Chinese food delights Koreans' taste buds

Malatang, a Chinese hot-pot originated from the Sichuan Province, attracts spicy food loving Koreans. Korea times photo by Lee Han-naBy Lee Han-naThe latest culinary hit in Korea is a fiery dish from China ― the hot-pot malatang.Just like popular street foods yupki-tteokboki or extra hot stir-fried rice cake and fiery chicken, malatang, which originated in the Southwest Chinese Province of Sichuan, is especially hot because of the main ingredient, mala. The dish is well-known for its unique spiciness that makes the tongue numb just as its Chinese characters indicate ― “ma” means numb and “la” means spicy.The mala sauce, which contains Sichuan pepper, gives the attractively spicy flavor that keeps people coming back for more. Aside from the flavor, the way the dish is cooked is attractive to younger Koreans. Customers can choose their ingredients for malatang. Korea Times photo by Lee Han-naUpon entering a malatang restaurant, diners are asked to choose fresh ingredients to add to their hot pot, such as vegetables, seafood balls, tofu, and mushrooms, along with

Jun 24, 2019

Spicy Chinese food delights Koreans' taste buds

Old port town exudes exotic beauty

Visitors walk around streets of China Town, adorned with red and gold colors, in Incheon, Wednesday. / Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukBy Park Jin-haiThe city of Incheon, some 40 kilometers west of Seoul, invites visitors to take a historic journey to the late 19th century, when the country saw its first modernization, following the forced opening of the port in 1883 by foreign countries.Over 130 years ago, the urbanscape of Incheon was “international,” bustling with merchants from Japan, China, the U.S., Germany, France and Russia. Starting from Japan, China and then Western countries, foreigners resided within a special settlement with extraterritoriality. The city exuded a cosmopolitan atmosphere with various foreign languages being spoken and rare imported goods being traded. Banks and hotels appeared and an expatriates' social club, the Jemulpo Club, was built. Through those exchanges, Incheon expanded into a modern city, initiating the modernization of the country. When the late Joseon Kingdom was on its precarious way to becoming forcefully annexed by Japan in 191

Jun 20, 2019By Park Jin-hai

Lotte gaining presence as gourmet hotel in Korea

Mugunghwa, located on the 38th floor of the Lotte Hotel Seoul, is a fine-dining Korean restaurant serving healthy and modern dishes. / Courtesy of Lotte Hotels and ResortsBy Kang Seung-wooLotte Hotels and Resorts has been in the limelight as the one and only “gourmet hotel” thanks to its lineup of Michelin star restaurants that offer visitors the best dining experience and service.Mugunghwa Tasting traditional food while traveling is the easiest way to experience local culture. On the 38th floor of the Lotte Hotel Seoul, located in the heart of Seoul, is Mugunghwa, the oldest among Korean restaurants at five-star hotels here. Mugunghwa, or rose of Sharon, is the national flower of the country and the top-class Korean restaurant lives up to its name with chefs showing their pride and passion for creating authentic Korean meals. Based on authentic traditional Korean cuisine, the restaurant has evolved over time incorporating various recipes and modern elements, such as interior decoration, tableware and presentation, thus leading a trend in the nation's fine dining. Its mos

Jun 20, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Lotte gaining presence as gourmet hotel in Korea

Hotel Lobby

Glad launches summer packageGlad Hotel & Resort has come up with its Summer Beauty Vacance package that will be available until Aug. 31 at its five properties in Seoul and on Jeju Island.As its name suggests, it features beauty items such as two lip tints and a DIY nail kit along with one night of accommodation with comfortable bedding. In addition, two tickets to D Museum in Hannam-dong will be offered. Currently, the 'I Draw' exhibition is being held, featuring 350 art pieces, including drawings and illustrations by 16 artists. In particular, the Maison Glad Jeju provides breakfast a buffet for two at Samdajeong, a locally famous buffet, and complimentary macaroons and coffee at Artisee. Sheraton D Cube offers summer seasonal menu Feast, the Sheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel's buffet restaurant, presents invigorating, authentic Korean food for guests wanting to ward off summer heat and stay healthy.Its seasonal menu includes traditional healthy foods such as chicken soup with ginseng and eel soup as well as cold raw fish soup and chilled jellyfish salad.Chicken soup with ginseng

Jun 18, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Korean Air's bibimbap

Korean Air flight attendants serve their ever-popular in-flight meal bibimbap at the 37th annual Food and Wine Classic in Aspen, Colorado, Sunday. The airline is the first to serve Korea's signature dish as an in-flight meal in 1997 and has received the prestigious Mercury Award from the International Flight Catering Association. Courtesy of Korean Air

Jun 17, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Average spending by foreign tourists to Korea tumbles in Q1

INTERVIEW 'Room renovation ready to satisfy customers'

Lotte Hotel unveils promotion for loyal customers

Hotel Lobby

Stars share secret 'idol water' recipe to fight facial bloating

Spicy Chinese food delights Koreans' taste buds

Old port town exudes exotic beauty

Lotte gaining presence as gourmet hotel in Korea

Hotel Lobby

Korean Air's bibimbap

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