The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST), in cooperation with the Korea Tourism Agency (KTA), the Korea Culture and Tourism Research Institute, and the Service Science Academy held a policy discussion on April 23 and another session about strengthening the competitiveness of the tourism industry through creative fusion and integration to create jobs on May 3.

On April 23, a discussion meeting on ways to realize a Creative Economy through tourism took place at the TIC screening room of the KTA.

Professor Chang Myong-kwon of Howon University spoke on “The Principle of the Creative Economy and Tourism Industry”; Team Head Shin Ui-sop of the KTA delivered a speech on the “Creative Fusion and Integration Samples in the Tourism Area”; and Director Shin Won-sop of the Tourism Policy Research Office of the KTA discussed the Direction of Tourism Policies To Realize the Creative Economy in his keynote speech.

The discussion session following the speech took place with the participation of Professors Kim Chul-won of Kyunghee University, Lee Hoon of Hanyang University, and Director Kim Sang-ok of the Tourism Policy Division of the MCST to seek ways to develop the tourism industry through creative fusion and integration.

The second event took place at Jamsil Lotte Hotel on May 3 on the subject of finding jobs through the realization of the Creative Economy of the tourism and hospitality industries.

The Service Science Academy, in cooperation with five tourism sectors, held an academic meeting to discuss the tourism policies of the Park Geun-hye government to realize the Creative Economy presided over by Director Kim Sang-wook of the Tourism Policy Division of the MCST, with Professor Park Yang-woo of Chungang University presiding over the session dealing with culture, technology, and other subjects to revive the tourism industry through creative fusion. Professor Byun Jung-woo of Kyunghee University delivered a keynote speech on the creation of jobs through fusion among industries and the Creative Economy centered on jobs.

The participants in the discussion session following the keynote speeches included Vice Chairman Choi No-sok of the Tourism Association Central Cooperatives; Chairman Lee Su-beom of the Hotel Out-dining Management Society; Kim Sang-tae, senior research staff at the Culture and Tourism Research Institute; Chairman Park Jong-chan of the Hotel Tourism Academy; Koo Bon-ki of the Tourism Management Academy; and others. The main subject of discussion was the Creative Economy in the area of tourism and means to create jobs.

The MCST plans to come up with a plan for the continuous development of the tourism industry in Korea through creative fusion and integration, knowing that the tourism industry’s role and importance will grow greater to become a representative fusion and integration industry in which history, culture, arts, contents, sports, IT, technology, and national land infrastructure are converged, as it is now the age of the Creative Economy, as pushed by the new government under President Park Geun-hye.

In the meantime, 17 cities and provinces in Korea agreed to cooperate with the aim of the new government to strengthen the economic power of the tourism industry to realize the Creative Economy, national happiness, and cultural resurgence.

The MCST on April 19 held the initial meeting of around 50 of the nation’s directors in charge of tourism in cities and provinces led by the director of tourism, director of tourism leisure planning, and director in charge of tourism in the municipal administrations and provinces.

They held discussions on the government’s tourism development policies and means to push them as part of its drive to achieve its objectives and other key government policies.

In particular, the tourism industry is being regarded as a key sector of the three government policy targets including the resurgence of culture, national happiness, and the Creative Economy.