The Korea Tourism Organization will develop more than 100 new group tour products for Chinese travel agencies, linking regional airports such as Gimhae, Daegu and Muan with nearby tourist destinations.
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the tourism agency said on the 14th that they are hosting a familiarization tour through the 15th for 112 participants, including officials from China's 100 largest travel agencies. The aim is to use regional airports as gateways for inbound tourism and spread visitor demand beyond the Seoul metropolitan area, where it is heavily concentrated.
Participants arrived from Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenyang and Chengdu, and split into six teams to visit destinations including Gyeongju, Gimhae, Daejeon, Samcheok, Jeju and Cheonan. On the 12th, they experienced regional tourism content at Hahoe Village in Andong, including the Seonyu Julbulnori fire rope festival.
Based on the tour, the organization plans to develop more than 100 new group tour products tied to regional airports. It will also compile promotional content and information on tourism interpreter guides for each of the Gimhae, Daegu, Muan, Yangyang, Jeju and Cheongju airports to help Chinese travel agencies design their own products.
A Korea-China travel industry travel mart held on the 11th at the Andong International Convention Center drew seven local governments, including Gangwon, Gyeongsangnam, Gyeongsangbuk, Daegu, Jeollabuk, Chungcheongbuk and Chungcheongnam provinces. About 700 consultations were held with Chinese online and offline travel agencies, and 79 of them resulted in contracts.
"We will provide support so that the development of stay-oriented regional tour products based out of regional airports translates into actual inbound visitors," said Park Sung-hyuk, president of the Korea Tourism Organization.
