Jeju launches tourist complaint center to address service issues
Tourists visit a beach on Jeju Island amid the ongoing heat wave, July 7. Yonhap
The Jeju Special Self-Governing Province will launch a tourist complaint reporting center on Monday, aiming to improve service standards and address the recent decline in the number of visitors to Korea’s southernmost resort island, officials said Friday.
To further improve its tourism appeal, the province set up a dedicated team to rebrand the island’s image and enhance its reputation.
Recently, Jeju has been mired in controversies stemming from complaints about poor service and overcharging at its popular tourist spots.
A well-known pork belly restaurant on Jeju sparked outrage in April by serving mostly fatty cuts, while further controversy emerged in July over high seafood prices and allegations of power abuse at a popular beach.
As these problems continued, Jeju experienced a 7.6 percent year-on-year decline in tourist arrivals to 5.95 million visitors from January to June this year.
The dedicated team will address travelers' complaints promptly and develop measures in accordance with public opinion.
Headed by the chief of the province’s Tourism and Exchange Bureau, the new team will include representatives from the provincial government, the Jeju Tourism Organization, the Jeju Tourism Association, and autonomous police teams connected to the provincial government.
This initiative aligns with the innovative measures for Jeju tourism announced in May by the provincial government, Jeju Tourism Organization and Jeju Tourism Association.
The new center will serve not only as a tourist information hub, but also as a platform for image enhancement activities, handling and responding to visitor inconvenience reports.
Upon receiving a report, the Jeju Tourism Association will first inspect the site to determine if local corrective actions are required. If administrative intervention is necessary, the report will be forwarded to the relevant department.
In cases where illegal activities are discovered and an investigation is warranted, the autonomous police team will take over.
A total of four offline reception stations will be set up at key locations, including Jeju International Airport, Jeju Ferry Passenger Terminal and tourist information centers. Additionally, online reports can be submitted through an official website from Monday.
"Our tourism policy prioritizes enhancing the image of Jeju tourism and improving travel quality. We aim to restore public trust and elevate Jeju as a premier national travel destination," said Kim Hee-chan, chief of the tourism and exchange bureau at Jeju Special Self-Governing Province.