Director General Joo Yong-tae of the Tourism and Sports Bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMO). (Photos: SMO)

The spread of the COVID-19 pandemic has wrought the greatest havoc on the tourism industry. Foreign tourists are not willing to come here, and the domestic tourism industry is also sagging under the influence of social distancing guidelines.

The crisis, caused by the COVID-19, may turn into an opportunity in the post-COVID-19 era, however.
Amid the dire situtation, Director General Joo Yong-tae of the Tourism and Sports Bureau at the Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMO) espouses a paradigm shift in the transitional period.

“Tourism and travel trend changes, which have been made a little bit from some time ago, have been unfurled suddenly in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dir.-Gen. Joo said in an interview with a vernacular financial daily.

“We’ve been making preparations for the future of the tourism industry on a steady basis, but it may come earlier than expected,” he said.

The new tourism segment, which the SMG has been fostering, is gastronomy tourism. People around the world no longer see food as inessential elements in choosing travel destinations, Joo said.

Food representing each region’s image has become a major motivation for travel. The reason is that prominent foreign cities have been scrambling to hold international food festivals and declare themselves as gastronomy centers.

The world’s popular tourism destinations such as New York, Tokyo and Paris boast abundant eateries.
Dir.-Gen Joon believes that Seoul’s gastronomy tourism does not lag behind global tourism destinations.

Prominent chefs and palates, touring Seoul, share the view the capital offers a new world of tastes, ranging from breakfasts to night meals. Seoul boasts abundant street foods such as tteokboki, sundae, and bindaetteok (Korean pancake).

They are modern versions of the cuisine heritage descending from about 600 years of royal foods of the Joseon Dynasty, he said.

A survey of foreigners who toured Seoul last year, conducted by the SMG, showed that cuisine tours ranked 2nd following shopping on a list of the capital’s attractive tourism jewels.

A poster to publicize the Taste of Seoul Week, to be held from Nov. 11 to Nov. 15.

The Taste of Seoul Week takes place in the capital in fall each year, with the goal of making Seoul a gastronomy tourism destination like New York and Paris, he said.

The Taste of Seoul Week was held virtually for a five-day run from Nov. 11. Seoulites were given an opportunity to order from home and enjoy special menu of foods cooked by famous chefs during the period.

The event was designed to make known abroad diverse food tastes of Seoul, emerging as a gastronomy tourism destination on the back of hallyu (Korean Wave), all the rage.

Seoul Restaurant@home offers foods cooked by prominent chefs with high-end eatery and hotel restaurants in an order& drive-through format.

The Taste of Seoul Week divided into the “Restaurant Week,” the first non-face-to-face food event, and the “Comfort Food Week,” designed to share hearts through foods.

Restaurant Week consisted of “A Selection of 100 Seoul Restaurants & Bars,” Seoul Restaurant@home, and live cooking classes.

A Selection of 100 Seoul Restaurants & Bars is 100 choice restaurants and bars, designated by professional cuisine curators in each sector, which offered the capital’s diverse differentiation tastes and culinary culture.