By Kang Shin-who
Staff Reporter
A growing number of children are going overseas to study and summer break is a time for the children to come back to their family here.
However, their families are not the only ones who are welcoming the returning children. Seoul’s main hotels are preparing a variety of programs they hope will attract parents and their offspring.
``Our hotel camp is a great way to spend a summer break for such children. It helps Korean students who are studying abroad maintain their grasp of the English language as well as enjoy a productive, educational, and fun vacation,’’ said Melissa Chung, an associate at Sheraton Grande Walkerhill.
The hotel launched a ``high-standard’’ camp for children five years ago, which has been gaining popularity among many parents.
The cost for the camp is two million won per child, excluding tax, for four nights. During the camp, the children can learn singing and dancing for musical performances as well as hotel etiquette. All programs are conducted only in English.
Following the success of the children’s camp, other hotels have begun to introduce their own camps.
Seoul Plaza Hotel has introduced a ``Kids MBA Camp’’ last year and is now looking to attract students for this summer. The cost is 500,000 won excluding tax and service charges for two nights.
``Most kids speak English fluently, although the programs didn’t make it necessary for the children to speak English, as many of them were studying overseas,’’ said Lee Jin-kyung who sent her two children to the camp this February.
The Lotte Hotel will introduce this kind of camp for the first time this year, though it is more focused on children who are seeking to study overseas.
For this summer, the hotel will recruit children whose parents are interested in Singapore for education. During the three-day program, the children and parents can experience the education environment through a Singaporean Education Fair.