Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Cities of light: winter escape to Poland

Residents and tourists shop at Wroclaw Christmas Market on Saint Nicholas Day, Dec. 6.  Korea Times photo by Lee Suh-yoonThe best urban illuminations are found at sub-zero temperatures By Lee Suh-yoonPOLAND ― Wet, freezing and mostly dark, winter in Poland poses challenging conditions for travelers. The sun sets around 3:30 p.m., after which layers of clothes provide little defense from the stinging cold. Yet winter is the best time to enjoy urban illuminations in Polish cities. Whole squares and streets are decked with Christmas lights from early December. But the cold is a distant worry once you step under the lights and join the buoyant crowds with a mug of mulled beer.Christmas, neon lights in Wroclaw The best place to soak in these festive lights is Wroclaw Christmas Market, which spans across two main squares and streets in the Old Town. On Saint Nicholas Day, Dec. 6, a stage event is held to light up a huge Christmas tree at the center of the Market Square. The Old Town Christmas market is not the only place where you can find impressive illuminations. An economic hub reb

Dec 25, 2019

Cities of light: winter escape to Poland

Number of foreign tourists to hit record high in 2019

A street in Myeong-dong in central Seoul is crowded with citizens and foreign travelers, Tuesday. The number of foreign tourists to Korea is expected to reach a record 17.5 million this year. / YonhapBy Kang Seung-wooThe number of international tourists to Korea for this year is expected to reach a record 17.5 million amid efforts to draw more independent Chinese travelers and diversify markets, the state-run tourism promotion agency said, Tuesday,According to the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), 16.05 million foreign tourists visited Korea between January and November, and an additional 1.45 million are expected to travel here by the end of the year. “Considering the current pace of foreign tourist arrival in Korea, the total number for this year is easily likely to set a  record,” a KTO official said. The previous annual record for inbound tourists is 17.24 million set in 2016.Taking a closer look, the record number means one international traveler visits Korea per 1.8 seconds and 118 fully occupied 407-seater airplanes land daily over the course of a year. The hi

Dec 24, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Number of foreign tourists to hit record high in 2019

No. of foreign tourists expected to reach all-time high this year

The number of foreign visitor arrivals in Korea is expected to reach an all-time high of 17.5 million this year. Korea Times fileThe number of foreign visitor arrivals in South Korea is expected to reach an all-time high of 17.5 million this year, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) said Tuesday.The forecast, if realized, will exceed the previous annual record of 17.24 million set in 2016.The figure of 17.5 million visitors means one foreigner arriving here every 1.8 seconds. It also means 118 planes carrying 407 foreigners landing in South Korea every day for one year.The ministry and the KTO estimated that the nation will be able to attain annual tourism revenue of 25.1 trillion won (US$21.58 billion), with the tourism sector expected to generate production worth 46 trillion won and 460,000 jobs.They explained the record number of foreign visitor arrivals is particularly meaningful as China's ban on group tours to South Korea has persisted and the number of tourists from Japan has fallen sharply amid bilateral diplomatic and trade co

Dec 24, 2019

No. of foreign tourists expected to reach all-time high this year

Tsushima Island shows off mesmerizing beauty

A large boulder on the summit of Mount Shiratake is a well-known landmark in Tsushima Island and known to create a majestic atmosphere surrounded by nature and the sea. / Courtesy of Tsushima City Busan OfficeBy Kim Hyun-binJapan's Tsushima Island is famous for its proximity to the Korean Peninsula.The island, located between Korea and Kyushu Island, is 49.5 kilometers off the coast of Korean port city, Busan. The island can be visited by a short boat ride from Busan and on a clear day, high-rise buildings in Busan are visible with the naked eye from the northern part of the island. However, its geographical proximity to the Korean Peninsula is not the only distinction that appeals to Koreans.Unlike Busan, with its bustling metropolis of tall buildings and shopping districts, the Japanese island offers a contrasting natural beauty, becoming one of the best “healing” places for Koreans. All-year-round destinationJapan is known to have four beautiful seasons and Tsushima Island is no exception.Flowers from the Asian Fringe Tree bring the spring atmosphere to the island and

Dec 19, 2019By Kim Hyun-bin

Tsushima Island shows off mesmerizing beauty

Korea Grand Sale to take place on Jan. 16

Foreign tourists visit the main welcome center in Seoul during the 2019 Korea Grand Sale. / Courtesy of Visit Korea CommitteeBy Kang Seung-woo The Korea Grand Sale, an annual sales event to woo foreigners, will be back, Jan. 16, for a 45-day run until Feb. 29, the Visit Korea Committee said, Tuesday. Under the theme of “Inviting you to the Korea Grand Sale,” the integrated festival of shopping, tourism and culture for international visitors will once again offer steep discounts in a variety of areas such as flights, transportation, accommodation, shopping, beauty, health and hands-on events. Also this time, the festival is set to offer foreigners a package of Korean culture-inspired activities such as K-pop, K-beauty and K-food that are catching on worldwide. “We are ready to deliver a pleasant shopping experience and opportunities for foreign visitors to experience and consume Korea's culture through the upcoming Korea Grand Sale,” Han Kyung-ah, the secretary-general of the committee, said at a press conference in Seoul. According to the committee, this year'

Dec 18, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Korea Grand Sale to take place on Jan. 16

Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooWestin Chosun presents winter package The Westin Chosun Seoul showcases its special winter packages for guests who are planning a warm and entertaining stay under the theme of “Hygge” ― a concept that originated in Denmark and means creating a cozy and convivial atmosphere.The promotion features the “Chosun Special Kit” that includes the property's signature coffee bean Vivente No. 8, a specially designed coffee mug and a limited edition miniature figurine. Other various benefits are also offered based on room type. Guests staying in executive rooms can enjoy two cups of aromatic tea or two cocktails at the Lounge & Bar, while those staying in suite rooms can choose either an afternoon tea set or two cocktails with truffle fries.The promotion is available until March 1, 2020.Grand Hyatt Seoul to launch package for romantic Christmas The Grand Hyatt Seoul will come up with its “Go Festive” package for couples who want to enjoy a memorable Christmas and year end. The promotion, which will be available from Dec. 20 to 30, features

Dec 17, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Overseas travel spending turning cold

By Kang Seung-wooKorean consumers' spending on traveling abroad hit a three-year low this year, dented by the economic recession and the “Boycott Japan” movement, according to a recent study, Thursday. However, sentiment toward spending on domestic travel also shrank without benefiting from the decline in overseas travel.Consumer Insight, a local tourism industry research lab, released its annual “weekly travel behavior and planning study” after interviewing 22,500 people about any likely changes in both domestic and overseas travel spending in the next year. “Travel spending intention” is a response rate for those who said they would increase their travel spending. According to its report, the intention to spend on overseas travel from January to October this year was 39.2 percent on average, down 3.1 percentage points from 42.3 percent in 2018. The rate for overseas travel soared in 2017 to 43.2 percent when there were two long public holidays and it dropped to 42.3 percent the following year. As for the intended spending for domestic travel, it

Dec 5, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Hotel Lobby

By Kang Seung-wooKensington hotels offer 'romantic' packageThe Kensington Hotel Yeouido and Pyeonchang have launched their Romantic Winter Package just in time for the Christmas season.The winter promotion from the property on Yeouido in Seoul, is available until Feb. 29 and allows guests to stay in an executive room, use its executive lounge and have a red wine with a premium platter comprised of desserts and finger food.The hotel in Pyeongchang will run the promotion until the end the year, offering only 30 rooms per day. Its package includes a breakfast buffet for two, a red wine and a necklace from local jeweler Lloyd's. Lotte Hotel launches UNICEF package Sixteen Lotte hotels across the nation have come up with a UNICEF package, the revenue of which will be donated to the “Schools for Asia” campaign ― the educational support program operated by UNICEF Korea.Since 2014, the nation's largest hotel operator has supported quality education for children in Asian countries as part of its corporate social responsibility programs. All guests purchasing the UNICEF-related pac

Dec 5, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Buddhist leader calls Pakistan visit 'spiritually stimulating'

Ven. Wonhaeng, third from left, president of Korea's largest Buddhist sect Jogye Order, listens as Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, right, speaks during the former's courtesy visit to the Pakistani leader in Islamabad on Nov. 20. / Courtesy of Jogye OrderBy Kang Hyun-kyungThe president of Korea's largest Buddhist sect the Jogye Order, Ven. Wonhaeng, said his recent trip to Pakistan was spiritually stimulating and he had several heart-felt moments because of the country's historical ties with Korean Buddhism. “I was deeply moved when I first stepped into Pakistan because it is the home country of the Ven. Marananta, who brought Buddhism to Korea about 1,600 years ago,” he said in a Buddhist ceremony in Seoul last week. “I was touched when I thought of him, who toiled to come all the way to East Asia against all the odds to spread Buddhism.”Ven. Wonhaeng said his trip to Pakistan reminded him of the importance of the spread of Korean Buddhism overseas. “Among others, I was impressed by the Pakistani government's ceaseless efforts to preserve historic s

Dec 4, 2019By Kang Hyun-kyung

Buddhist leader calls Pakistan visit 'spiritually stimulating'

S. Korean chef takes legal action against Michelin over 'pay-for-star' collusion

By Kang Seung-wooA Korean chef, who refused to pay money to a “monetary consultant” allegedly working for Michelin Korea, has filed a complaint with the prosecution alleging fraud and attempted extortion amid growing questions over the authenticity of the local Michelin branch's selection of Korean restaurants for its ratings guide.In addition, Yun Kyoung-suk, the owner of Korean restaurant Yunga-Myunga, is also filing a libel complaint against the organization for its denunciation of her claims.“When I planned to open a restaurant in 2014, Michelin contacted me and told me to open a restaurant meeting its regulations that it said would ensure Michelin stars,” Yun told The Korea Times.“Regardless of any financial loss and mental pain, I have stepped up to stop Michelin from taking advantage of its fabricated authority through selling books in Korea.”Yun made headlines with the claim that Michelin Korea had demanded bribes in exchange for a star rating. According to Yun, Ernest Singer, a U.S. national known locally as the “Michelin broker,&rdq

Dec 3, 2019By Kang Seung-woo

Travel & Food

Travel & Food

Cities of light: winter escape to Poland

Number of foreign tourists to hit record high in 2019

No. of foreign tourists expected to reach all-time high this year

Tsushima Island shows off mesmerizing beauty

Korea Grand Sale to take place on Jan. 16

Hotel Lobby

Overseas travel spending turning cold

Hotel Lobby

Buddhist leader calls Pakistan visit 'spiritually stimulating'

S. Korean chef takes legal action against Michelin over 'pay-for-star' collusion

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