By Kang Hyun-kyung
Staff Reporter
An increasing number of foreign tourists in Seoul now prefer to stay for short-term periods at budget hotels as opposed to long-term stays at five-star hotels, according to surveys.
Despite the shift, Lee Charm, president of the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), was slow to meet the changing pattern, lawmakers said Wednesday.
The poor response, they said, has resulted in foreign budget hotels' aggressive invasion into the niche domestic market, driving cheap local hotels with old and poor amenities to lose an edge in the race.
Lee, the first naturalized Korean to rise to a position of leadership in a state-run body, said that the tourism agency kicked off the sales pitches for a government-led budget hotel chain project, dubbed the "Best Night in Korea."
The culture ministry-driven project, which was introduced in 2006, was aimed at building cheap but enjoyable local hotels that cost below $100 per night.
After completing the first two-year pilot project, the KTO has just begun promoting the chain.
During a National Assembly inspection of the KTO, the German-turned-Korean tourism board chief vowed to transform Korea into one of the top 20 most attractive tourist destinations in six years.
Lee made the remarks after Rep. Kim Boo-kyum of the main opposition Democratic Party (DP) pointed out that the nation is helpless in the face of the aggressive invasion of foreign budget hotels, seeing a rising demand from foreign travelers.
"Several cheap foreign hotel chains -- such as Best Western Inn and Toyoko Inn -- have expanded their business activities here. The Japanese hotel chain for example, opened its first chain in Korea in Busan last year and plans to open 60 more inns in big cities over the next 10 years," Kim said.
Citing a survey, Kim pointed out that foreign tourists are unwilling to stay longer here, mainly because they are not satisfied with food and accommodation. He urged KTO President Lee to address the problems in the budget hotel chain project.
Legislators also called on the KTO chief to come up with a specific, feasible and detailed tourism strategy, sharing the view that the tourism industry could become the backbone of the economy in the future.
Lee said he would put a priority on traditional culture as a sales point because he thinks that compared to other nations, natural settings and architectural design in Korea do not standout.
Rep. Lee Jung-hyun of the governing Grand National Party (GNP) demanded that the KTO chief work harder and play a more active role in promoting the culture.
"It's not easy for foreigners to grasp what's inside Korean culture unless they come here and feel it. Therefore, effective tourism pitches are the key, but I sense that the KTO has not played that role," said Lee.
hkang@koreatimes.co.kr