South Korea launches series of "tricks" to attract international tourists

Foreign visitors in Hanbok at Gyeongbok Palace, Seoul early June

At a meeting of ministers in charge of economy, culture and tourism on June 17, the Korean government announced a series of solutions to promote the tourism industry, focusing on simplifying entry procedures, reducing visa processing time and improving the travel experience for international visitors.

Accordingly, the Korean government plans to reduce the visa issuance time for tourists from countries wishing to travel to Korea by adding more staff and increasing the number of visa application centers. Electronic tourist cards for group tourists and automatic passport reading technology will be deployed to simplify entry procedures.

The government will pilot the “Korean Cultural Training Visa” this year to attract individuals interested in cultural and entertainment training programs in Korea. In addition, the country is also considering implementing a new visa specifically for “digital nomads,” allowing them to live, work, and travel in Korea.

To extend the stay of cruise tourists, the government will install self-service immigration checkpoints and extend the operating hours of cruise passenger terminals. For air travelers, the solution is to increase direct flights between Korean airports and international cities. New routes connecting Busan with Jakarta and Cheongju with Bali will be launched in the second half of this year, along with increased flight frequency from Daegu to Ulaanbaatar.

Crowds of tourists on Myeongdong Street, Seoul on May 1

To make it easier for travelers to travel, South Korea is expanding its luggage delivery service from KTX high-speed train stations to hotels. The service will soon be available at 16 locations nationwide, up from nine currently. Easy Drop, a service that allows travelers to check their luggage outside the airport before departure, will also be expanded.

The government will provide English and Chinese translations of user reviews on local map apps to make it easier for tourists to access dining and tourist spots, and introduce short-term travel cards for foreign visitors at reasonable prices in major cities.

In 2023, international tourists to Korea skyrocketed, from a low of 970,000 in 2021 to 11 million.

However, tourism revenue has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels of $20.7 billion, a gap officials say is largely due to a shift from group travel to individual travel and a greater focus on cultural experiences rather than shopping.

TH (according to VnExpress)

Source: https://baohaiduong.vn/han-quoc-tung-loat-chieu-hut-khach-quoc-te-385036.html