Seoul soaps to lure Thai travellers
The Bangkok office of the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO), Korean Air and Sun Moon Tours and Travel joined together last Thursday to promote Thai tourism in South Korea with an industry event at the Metropole Hotel.
Kang Sung-ghil, director of the KTO's Bangkok office said, "Phuket is one of our main markets for MICE [meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions], especially incentives. Therefore, from now on, we must come here more often to give updated information about [South] Korea. "The event provided useful information about major international trade fairs and tourism attractions in Korea to help in planning incentive tours or educational trips to Korea, as well as pleasure tours. "We also provided information to encourage travel agents to include Korea in regular tour programmes. We would like to encourage travel agents here to become Korea tour specialists in this region," he said. "Our aim is to increase the number Thai tourists visiting Seoul and locations where Korean dramas are filmed, such as Jejudo Island, where the drama 'Dae Jung-geum' is filmed. "Korean dramas are very popular with Thai people," he explained. "Seoul is the No-1 attraction, as it is the heart of Korea, but Jejudo Island is also popular; it is much like Phuket but has four seasons," he said. Kang said that last year, 130,000 Thai tourists visited South Korea - up 30 per cent from 2005. "People in Phuket and nearby provinces can travel to Korea direct from Phuket, as Korean Air operates regular direct flights from Phuket to Incheon Airport. "About 70 per cent of Korea's geography is mountainous. Most Thai tourists visit Korea in the winter," he said. Tourism travel between the two nations is not equally balanced, however. Last year, about 1.1 million South Korean tourists visited Thailand, Kang said. "The flights also benefit Phuket tourism, as they bring thousands of Korean tourists to Phuket and nearby areas every week," he said. "Now, in the low season, we have four direct flights a week from Seoul to Phuket and four direct flights a week from Incheon to Phuket, all flown by Korean Air. I think this is the same number of flights provided by Thai Airways. "In the high season, we will also have charter flights," Kang said. "Phuket is good destination for Korean tourists, who love snorkelling, fishing and especially eating Thai food. This is a warm place for Korean tourists to visit," he added.
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