Kumho Asiana Group chairman Park Sam-koo was elected as the head of the Visit Korea Committee at a board meeting last July at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul. The committee said Park was elected because of his contributions to the country’s tourism business.
Park will manage the 2016-2018 Visit Korea Year Committee, in cooperation with the government, to attract foreign tourists during the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. As the chief of the nation’s second-largest airline, Asiana Airlines, Park has been trying to boost Korea’s tourism industry after the outbreak of the Middle East respiratory syndrome virus.
Park recently invited about 300 Japanese government officials and tour agency employees to Seoul to promote more tour programs to Korea. An exclusive bus tour program connecting the capital city of Seoul with six regional destinations was launched Friday, as part of governmental efforts to offer unique travel experiences to foreign visitors.
Named K-Travel Bus, the program offers overnight travel to various regions in Korea via bus. The list of destinations includes Daegu, Gangwon Province, South Jeolla and North Gyeongsang Provinces as well as Busan and Ulsan in southeastern region. The program also carries tourists to Tongyeong, a coastal city in South Gyeongsang Province famous for its beautiful scenery and seafood. The small port city was named tourist city of the year for 2016 by the state-run Korea Tourism Organization.
The program was developed in collaboration with regional governments, as it aims to boost regional tourism, according to officials at Visit Korea Committee.
“K-Travel Bus is designed to offer higher satisfaction for foreign visitors as it provides a chance to visit Korea’s beautiful regional cities and to experience various culture-related activities there,” said Visit Korea Committee chairman Park Sam-koo at a launch ceremony jointly held by the Culture Ministry and committee.
“I expect the program to be a source to revitalize the regional economy and to encourage tourists to revisit the country,” he said.
The Kumho Asiana Group chairman was attending the launch ceremony along with actor Jung Il-woo, who has been selected as a goodwill ambassador for the program. The event also featured a stage performance by girl group Tahiti and popular animation character Pororo, officials said.
“It’s a great honor to be able to introduce the distinct characteristics and charms of Korea’s regional cities to people who are interested in Korea,” said actor Jung. “I, as the goodwill ambassador of K-Travel Bus, will do my best to introduce hidden jewels, Korea’s tourist destinations not widely known to foreign travelers.”
Celebrating the first day of the program‘s operation, the committee invited 60 foreign passengers selected through a social media event.
“It’s great that there is a travel package that can be reserved online without having to go through a travel agency,” said Narda Santana, a 27-year-old tourist from Peru, as she got on the bus. “I look forward to experiencing Korea’s traditional culture.”
The program, priced at $150-$170 per person, includes transportation, a bilingual tour guide, one-night lodging for two, and tickets to various sites and immersive events. The buses will run once a week until November. Tickets can be reserved at www.k-travelbus.com.
For inquiries, call (02) 733-5510.
