Korea Grand Sale to return with Olympics

Han Kyung-ah, secretary general at the Visit Korea Committee, speaks during a media conference at Jongno Tower in Seoul, Monday. / Courtesy of Visit Korea Committee

By Jung Min-ho

Hundreds of manufacturers and retailers will offer major discounts and promotional events exclusively for foreign visitors early next year.

The Visit Korea Committee will host the annual Korea Grand Sale between Jan. 18 and Feb. 28 to attract tourists from around the world and enrich their experience here.

With the PyeongChang Olympics (Feb. 9 to 25) just around the corner, this year’s sales festival will be special with more interesting events and gifts for everyone.

“Perhaps the biggest misconception about the Korea Grand Sale is that it is an event only for shoppers,” Han Kyung-ah, the committee’s secretary general, told reporters Monday. “To be more precise, it is a comprehensive cultural event that focuses on shopping.”

Hundreds of thousands of foreign visitors are expected to travel to Seoul during the Games. In cooperation with city government, the committee will operate welcome centers, where they can get travel information, interpretation services and special gifts, from Jan. 26 to Feb. 25.

One of the events is a free ride day (Feb. 13) for K-Travel Bus users to Gangwon Province, where the Olympics will be held. The service takes tourists from Seoul to major cities across the country.

Asiana Airlines will offer up to a 60 percent discount to those flying from destinations in China, Southeast Asia and Europe to Korea during the period. It will also allow people to check one additional piece of luggage for free. Meanwhile, Jeju Air will offer a maximum 95 percent discount rate for overseas passengers.

Lotte Hotel plans to offer a voucher card for its duty-free shops worth 40,000 won (US$37) to foreigners who book more than two nights on its website.

Lotte World Mall, Shinsegae Duty Free, Woongjin Play City, Seven Lucky Casino, Seoul Land and N Seoul Tower are among the other companies that will offer discounts and events. The committee said it is still in talks with them over the details. Many companies, including Hansol Oak Valley Resort and Welli Hilli Park, are situated in Gangwon Province.

For more information, visit www.koreagrandsale.co.kr/en/.