Visit Korea Committee Activities

PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games G-100 FAM Tour for Korea Tourism Ambassadors PART 1 Do you remember the online event recruiting ambassadors for Korea tourism held by the Visit Korea Committee to mark the G-100 ofthe PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games? After beating off stiff competition at 500 to 1, the four ambassadors finally made it to Korea. For five days from January 23 (Tue) to January 27 (Sat), the four ambassadors actively promoted Korea tourism in Seoul and Gangwon Province. Their five-day trip revealed the charm of Korea, which offers a ton of things to see and enjoy. Welcome to Korea! This was the first meeting with the four ambassadors, who came all the way from Thailand, Taiwan, the United States, and Japan, respectively. They were filled with anticipation for the trip. On the first day, they enjoyed dinner at the L7 Hotel, located in the heart of Gangnam, and attended a brief orientation. The recently-opened hotel is equipped with an advanced check-in/out kiosk—perfect for showing off Korea’s modern edge. The FAM Tour officially kicked off the next morning. Everyone got on the K-Travel Bus and headed to Gangwon Province. The ambassadors, selected in celebration of the G-100, dropped by the Olympic Promotion Hall. The sneak preview of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games left us with higher expectations for February. Jungang Market is a must if you’re in Gangneung. There is no better place to experience the local culture than markets. The ambassadors were fascinated and impressed when we introduced the local specialties of Gangneung. If you have foreign friends visiting Korea, do recommend a visit to traditional markets. After visiting the busy market, it was time for a more leisurely place. At the café street along Anmok Beach, you can admire the vast blue sea over a cup of tea.   The ambassadors were surprised that such a beautiful beach awaited just two to three hours away from Seoul. They picked it as one of their top recommendations for foreigners.  Next on the itinerary was Phoenix Park, the venue for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games. The ambassadors were delighted to take a look around the actual Olympic venue, albeit from a distance. It was a rare opportunity to get a feel of the event. The next day was all about Pyeongchang. Despite the temperature falling to minus 27 degrees, Woljeongsa Temple on Odaesan Mountain was so breathtaking that it made the ambassadors’ list of top attractions. They were captivated by the charm of the temple. Wondering how it would look in spring, summer, and fall, they look forward to visiting the temple at other times of the year. 🙂 Having nourished their mind and body at the temple, the ambassadors were ready to fill up their bellies. Jeonggangwon is where you can experience Korea’s food culture. They had the opportunity to make bibimbap, which is rice mixed with various ingredients. They gave the dish two thumbs-up for its simplicity and taste. The ambassadors headed back to Seoul at the end of the short but satisfying trip. Check back for more of their adventures in Part 2 of the FAM Tour.
Date : 2018/02/07 | Views : 5588
Korea Grand Sale 2018 Opening Ceremony & Friendliness Campaign Successfully Held The long-awaited Korea Grand Sale 2018 has finally begun! On Thursday, January 18, 11 am, at the Dongdaemun Doota Mall Square, a kindliness campaign was held to celebrate the opening of the Korea Grand Sale, with around 100 guests who work in tourism. The opening ceremony for this year’s Korea Grand Sale was even more relevant, as it marked our hopes for the success of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games and our dedication to welcoming visitors to Korea with kindness. Many people who worked hard for the Korea Grand Sale gathered together and were introduced to each other. Visit Korea Committee Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah also attended the ceremony and exchanged greetings with the guests. Despite the cold weather, the excitement at the event could not be chilled. At the opening ceremony, representatives from the Workers’ and University Students’ National Smile Teams recited the pledge of kindness together. To all the members of the National Smile Teams dedicated to welcoming visitors to Korea always with kindness, we look forward to seeing your wonderful and friendly smiles! ^^ From the first day of the 42-day Korea Grand Sale, the Event Center was visited by many foreigners. The Center will lend a helping hand to foreign travelers during the Grand Sale period. Various information about tourism in Korea can also be found at the Event Center. As it was the first day, the Event Center was kept very busy. Foreign visitors were delighted with the souvenirs made to celebrate the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year and the Korea Grand Sale, along with the Soohorang and Bandabi merchandise prepared in celebration of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games! Together, we visited Doota Duty Free, where many foreign tourists come to visit, to promote the Korea Grand Sale and bring our kindness campaign to the staff working at the duty free shops. As the staff are very experienced at welcoming foreign tourists into their stores, they were eager to respond to our campaign as well! Their cheerful smiles brought smiles to our own faces. For the next 42 days, the Korea Grand Sale 2018 will cover everything from shopping, cultural activities, and tourism to other ways of experiencing Korea. And the Visit Korea Committee will work harder toward a Korea that more foreigners want to re-visit!
Date : 2018/02/01 | Views : 4819
Meeting of Worker’s National Smile Team & Appointment Ceremony for Honorary Members Held with Success   Smiles representing Korea came together! To honor the people who work hard to make a friendlier Korea, a meeting of the Worker’s National Smile Team was held and therein two new honorary members were appointed. The event took place on Tuesday, January 23, at the Ferrum Hall, Ferrum Tower in Jung-gu, Seoul, with the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games ahead.    Everything had all been set to welcome the members of our National Smile Team who practice kindness in their own fields. This year’s first appointee as an honorary member of the National Smile Team was IOC member Ryu Seung-min, who was elected as one of the mayors of the Athletes’ Village for the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games. As the global Olympic events are going to be held in Korea this year, he has been most active in welcoming visitors to Korea. The next person appointed as an honorary member was actress Kim So-hyun. With her bright smiles and friendly image, she always presents herself positively to the public. And many other members of the National Smile Team appeared to make the event shine brighter 🙂 Visit Korea Committee Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah gave a welcome speech. She delivered a message of thanks and encouragement for the many workers practicing kindness with only 2 weeks left before the start of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games.   An appointment ceremony was held for the new honorary members, IOC member Ryu Seung-min and actress Kim So-hyun. By making a pledge of kindness, now they joined the National Smile Team among many claps from the audience. Congratulations to the two honorary members! Now it was time to reveal the winners of the lucky draw box event, which had been prepared at the entrance of the event hall! The lucky winners were drawn personally by Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah. Three winners were chosen! Congratulations to all three winners. ^^ A delightful atmosphere surrounded the end of the event! A group photo is a must at this kind of event, isn’t it? We hope they will continue to work eagerly toward making a friendlier Korea with these smiles ^^
Date : 2018/01/31 | Views : 4878
“We Are the Republic of Korea!” Launch Ceremony Takes Place for 17th Global Promotional Delegation for Korean Culture and Tourism   On January 9, the Visit Korea Committee and the Voluntary Agency Network of Korea (VANK) organized a launch ceremony for the 17th Global Promotional Delegation for Korean Culture and Tourism at the National Museum of Korea. - About 500 students, from middle school to college, were appointed as members after beating off stiff competition. They were given a warm welcome with a set of souvenirs and promotional materials. The ceremony kicked off with a speech by Park Gi-tae, who is serving as the director of the VANK. He shared several effective ways of promoting Korea to foreigners! Next, Service Improvement Team Leader Lee Eunjung of the Visit Korea Committee introduced the various programs of the Visit Korea Committee. She told students about the committee’s programs launched in celebration of the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year, and the kindness campaign, which aims to make Korea a country where foreigners would like to visit again. We look forward to everyone, including the National Smile Team and the VANK’s delegates, playing their part in spreading warm smiles throughout Korea. Even though it was their first day, the delegates listened attentively throughout the lecture. The lecture was followed by a golden bell quiz. Everyone put up a good fight, and it was a close match from beginning to end. The final four remaining in the quiz! They were awarded dolls of Soohorang and Bandabi, the official mascots of the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Congratulations! Next was a global etiquette training session as practice for the K-Smile Campaign ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics. Etiquettes must be observed at all times. They are all the more important when interacting with foreign tourists. This informative session covered the basic rules of etiquettes. The launch ceremony ended with a commemorative group photo. We look forward to the new delegates doing their part to welcome foreign tourists next month at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.
Date : 2018/01/15 | Views : 4909
Korea Grand Sale 2018 Briefing Held Successfully in China (Dalian, Yantai, Shanghai)   Did you know that the Korea Grand Sale—Korea’s largest nationwide all-in-one festival of shopping, cultural experiences, and sightseeing for foreign travelers—is starting next month? The Visit Korea Committee held briefing sessions for the Korea Grand Sale in Dalian, Yantai, and Shanghai, China to inform more foreigners about attractive benefits they can enjoy in Korea at the festival period. Below are pictures from the Dalian session, held on December 15. The Visit Korea Committee played a video clip introducing its programs. Travelers visiting Korea will be able to enjoy a variety of benefits in popular attractions throughout the country. : ) The attendees looked over the leaflet and were impressed by our efforts. The attendees had the opportunity to enter a prize draw. The lucky winner of air tickets to Korea was envied by many. The Korea Tour Card was another attractive prize. The card, which makes traveling in Korea more enjoyable and convenient, was presented to the winner by Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah herself. At the Yantai briefing held on December 16, the Visit Korea Committee opened its own booth. Many attendees were drawn to our special event of Yut, a traditional game in Korea. As always, the Korean souvenirs were incredibly popular. The briefing began in the presence of a huge crowd. With a higher number of tourists expected in Korea for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics, the upcoming Korea Grand Sale offers more benefits than ever. 🙂 Visitors can access local information and tourist services from the wheeled Tourist Service Center (TSC) running throughout Korea. Do visit the TSC at various landmark venues, including Gangwon Province, the host of the Winter Olympics. The third briefing session of the Korea Grand Sale was held in Shanghai on December 19. The session kicked off with a welcoming speech by Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah. We were excited to learn about the new companies and organizations who will be participating next year. Just the poster alone was enough to give a big expectation of the new year to begin. The sale offers not only discounts, but also a ton of fun events for tourists. A banquet was held at the end of the session. Secretary-General Han Kyung-ah interacted with each and every attendee, sharing her anticipation of the Korea Grand Sale. Prize draw winners were announced at the awards ceremony. The lucky winners walked away with air tickets to Korea and the Korea Tour Card. The briefing sessions may be over, but our spirit of hospitality continues. We will organize many activities next year to attract more foreign tourists to Korea.
Date : 2018/01/02 | Views : 5042