7 tourism startups showcase biz models

Kandil Sami Mohamed, third from right on the stage, from Egypt shares his experience on tourism services provided by seven new companies that were selected by the Seoul city government as this year’s potential startups during a showcase event in Seoul, Tuesday. / Courtesy of Seoul Metropolitan Government

By Kim Se-jeong

Seoul Metropolitan Government’s seven picks for this year’s tourism startup companies gathered in downtown Seoul, Tuesday, to present their business models to the public.

This is an annual event and the city government has been selecting companies to support for years now.

Flitto, a language-service provider to tourists, translates 725 tourism-related road signs into 10 languages ― English, Chinese, Japanese, Indonesian, Thai, Malay, Vietnamese, Russian, French and Spanish.

Frientrip is a mobile-based trip platform that helps foreign tourists get authentic local experiences during their stay. The company has also developed 10 tour programs travelers can experience.

Alleys Wanderlab provides virtual walking tours in Seoul, offering travelers with little time a chance to get a glimpse of the city.

Seoul Gastro Tour offers a variety of gastronomy tours near Seoullo 7017 in the capital’s downtown area. YallaKOREA is a tour company catering specifically for Muslim travelers.

Music King offers travelers a chance to create their own K-Pop music videos during their stay in Seoul. Mango Plate is a mobile restaurant guide for Chinese visitors.

“We hope these companies will thrive, as they will help Seoul’s tourism industry,” a city official said. “The city will continue support for these companies.”

The city selects startups every year and offers financial and administrative support.

The presentation was well received and peppered with a lineup of high-profile guests.

The city invited a panel of three well-known foreign residents: Kandil Sami Mohamed from Egypt and Wang Xinlin from China, who appear on JTBC’s “Non Summit,” a talk show, and Ashminov Mihal Spasov, a star chef from Bulgaria who has his own restaurant.

The city had the three try all the services provided by the seven companies and had them share their experiences and feedback in Korean. The session also had a star announcer, Shin A-young.

More tourists visit Seoul from a diverse range of countries. That creates business opportunities for tech-savvy young entrepreneurs and those with business experience. The city is offering support to get them on their feet quickly so they can provide quality services to tourists and create jobs.