Visit Korea Committee Activities

Commissioning Ceremony for the 2016 Workers’ National Smile Team Members

Commissioning Ceremony for the 2016 Workers’ National Smile Team Members The Visit Korea Committee hosted a ceremony on Thursday, July 28 at the Nine Tree Convention Center in Gwanghwamun to commission the members of the 2016 Workers’ National Smile Team. You would already be familiar with the University Students’ and Youth’s National Smile Teams, but whom does the members of the Workers’ National Smile Team refer to? These members are top tourism professionals with a true mindset for hospitality. They represent South Korea’s tourism industry at many different points of contact with visitors, including in transportation, restaurants, shopping, accommodation, ports of entry/exit, and sharing of tourist information. They are commissioned to their positions following recommendations from local public organizations and government agencies and a VERY STRICT evaluation process by members of the Evaluation Committee. These special tourism representatives have been brought here today to show off their hospitality business expertise and contribution to creating and spreading a higher level of hospitality at the places in South Korea where foreign visitors can be found. Some attending today came a long way, pulling their luggage along with them to the event hall. (Activities before the Meal) Having arrived at the event hall, I discovered people wearing some really familiar blue jackets! I was so familiar with the outfits that I felt like I already knew them. I wanted to say hello! It seemed that the members of the University Students’ National Smile Team were smiling even more than usual today; could it be because it is summer vacation? I wish I had vacation too... (boo-hoo) But I held back my tears (so sad...) and took a look at what the members of the Workers’ National Smile Team were busy writing. They were writing out by hand a “Pledge of Kindness.” A Pledge of Kindness is where one promises to smile when meeting foreign visitors so that those visitors see so much of our country’s friendliness and smiling that they want to visit South Korea again. 🙂 Gee, that looks really cool. But please, don’t envy them. You have a chance to try it yourself!! It’s pretty surprising to know that if you go to the K-Smile website (http://www.k-smile.org), you can also participate in the Pledge of Kindness yourself. Though you can’t hand-write your pledge there, the website is a very convenient way to be a part of the action!!! Already, more than 15,000 people have participated in this campaign. There’s nothing to lose. Go online to make your Pledge of Kindness. Over on the other side, I found more people busy writing something else. And I wanted to find out what it was so I could satisfy the curiosity of my readers. I very carefully went up to take a look (Actually, I was really curious myself, too). They were taking these carefully written magnetic message puzzle pieces and attaching them to the message wall to complete the K-Smile logo. A lot of people wrote of their determination to work hard in the future as members of the Worker’s National Smile Team! Having completing these activities before the official start of the ceremony, the members of the Worker’s National Smile Team (because the name is so long, I wish I could just call them WNST members for short 🙂 ) joined in the warm atmosphere within the hall. In this photo, the WNST members who work at different points of contact with tourists are sitting around a table talking. There was a paper on each table introducing the events to be held each month for the WNST members. Special events are being held all the time on the official website and the Facebook page of the Visit Korea Year at http://www.facebook.com/smilekorea. Hey everybody, be sure not to miss them! In fact, I heard a rumor that there was even a “flash event” on Facebook today! (The Commissioning Ceremony) The event started right on time at 11 o’clock. We heard first about K-Smile campaign efforts and a detailed explanation about the WNST. Between 2010 and 2015, a total of 416 WNST members have been commissioned (clapping!). I hope that even more people will be selected for the 12th WNST Commissioning Ceremony next time! Today, chairman of the Visit Korea Year Committee graced us with his presence. (Having seen him in photos but now in person, I felt as if I was meeting a celebrity...!) The chairman said that the “2016–2018 Visit Korea Year” and the “2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics” would be important events in South Korea’s transformation into an advanced global tourist destination and he emphasized the role of the WNST members, who are the face of South Korea that gives visitors their first impression of the country. Next, a ceremony was held to give commissioning plaques to the new WNST members. These were given to representatives working in nine areas of contact with foreigners, including ports of entry/exit and customs, transportation, accommodation/food, shopping, tour guiding, and the tourist police. On such a joyous occasion, you can’t leave out the taking of commemorative photos. Even bathed in camera flashes, the never-ending smiles of these leaders stayed with them! 🙂 If there were ever a Smile Olympics, South Korea would sweep the gold, silver and bronze medals without fail. Afterwards, a short three-minute video was shown to introduce WNST members. The audience was able to see more about these people who show such friendliness to foreigners at every point of contact in the tourism experience, and it was good to also learn some cool tips for making South Korea a place that people want to visit again! Next, VIPs worked together to match the remaining pieces of the message wall puzzle. The empty sections of the K-Smile logo on the message wall were completed by Commander Jang Jin-yeong of the Seoul Tourism Police Force, Chairman Min Hyang-sik of the Korea Culture and Tour Guide Central Committee, Chairman Park Sam-koo of the Visit Korea Year Committee, Chairman Kim Hong-joo of the Korea Tourism Association’s Central Committee, Secretary-General Katie Han of the Visit Korea Year Committee, and the WNST members! Here they are showing off their bright smiles with finger-hearts like sesame seeds! 🙂 The highlight of the day! We’re already at the end of the event. Individual profile photos were taken of all the WNST members at the event. I took a peek from behind the camera and the photos were coming out so well that I wished I could have gotten my photo taken, too! 🙂 And so the 11th Commissioning Ceremony of the 2016 WNST members concluded as a big success. I hope that in the future we can develop South Korea into a place that people want to visit again thanks to the bright smiles and friendliness of those working on the front lines with tourists!

Date : 2016/08/05 | Views : 4715

K-Travel Bus FAM Tour with foreign correspondents

<K-Travel Bus FAM Tour with foreign correspondents> The Visit Korea Committee invited 10 correspondents from China, Japan, France, and Germany, and other countries to have an overnight FAM tour (familiarization tour) by K-Travel Bus between July 8–9. During this tour, the committee introduced them to a variety of programs planned during the “2016-2018 Visit Korea Year.” The tour was aimed to ensure the invited correspondents convey more vivid information to foreign tourists after they themselves experience the K-Travel Bus. Out of the six courses of the K-Travel Bus, Northern Gyeongsang Province was selected for this FAM tour. This course includes famous tourist attractions in Yeongju, Yecheon, and Mungyeong, such as Sosusuhwon Confucian Academy, Buseoksa Temple, and Museom Village. During visits to various sites the invitees enjoyed many hands-on programs that include brewing makgeolli (rice wine), playing archery, and riding a rail bike. We hope that the K-Travel bus serves as an opportunity to make widely known South Korea’s beautiful provincial tourist destinations. <Brewing makgeolli at the hands-on fermentation workshop “Ddi-um”> <A Korean classical music concert at Confucianist Village, Yeongju> <A group photo taken at Sosusuhwon Confucian Academy, Yeongju> <Yecheon’s hands-on archery program is being covered> <A group photo taken at Jinho International Archery Field, Yecheon> <Director Seo Won of the Culture, Tourism, and Sports Bureau at the Gyeongbuk Provincial Government is delivering a welcoming address on the first day of the FAM tour>

Date : 2016/07/29 | Views : 4842

Press Conference with Correspondents from Major Overseas News Agencies on the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year

Press Conference with Correspondents from Major Overseas News Agencies on the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year On July 19, the Visit Korea Committee hosted a press conference with correspondents in South Korea from major overseas news agencies, introducing them to the campaign of “2016–2018 Visit Korea Year.” At the conference, a presentation was delivered on the attractiveness of Korean tours along with special benefits offered during the period of the Visit Korea Year. The attending foreign journalists showed close attention and intense coverage on this campaign. We will do our best to see to it that their keen interest and passion spread out all over the world. <Press conference with correspondents from major overseas news agencies on the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year > <We introduce you to the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year!> < “Welcome to Korea!” – Welcoming address by Secretary General Katie Han of the Visit Korea Committee > <An introduction to main programs of the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year > <Questions and answers on the 2016–2018 Visit Korea Year> <A group photo taken with correspondents from major overseas news agencies>

Date : 2016/07/26 | Views : 4190

K-Smile Campaign Held in Association with Launching Ceremony of Rail-ro Promotion Team for Tourism in

<K-Smile Campaign> K-Smile Campaign Held in Association with Launching Ceremony of Rail-ro Promotion Team for Tourism in Northern Gyeongsang Province On July 14, the Visit Korea Committee held an event for the K-Smile Campaign at the launching ceremony of the Rail-ro Promotion Team for Tourism in Northern Gyeongsang Province, which took place at the Seoul Station Plaza. The event was joined by more than 1,200 participants from the committee and its University Student National Smile Team, Korea Tourism Organization, Korail Daegu Office, Gyeongbuk Tourism Organization, Gyeongbuk Travel Association, Rail-ro Promotion Team for Tourism in Northern Gyeongsang Province, and various other institutions. The young members of the promotion team will be tasked with various promotional activities after having a tour in Rail-ro, Northern Gyeongsang Province. After a pledge to carry out their responsibilities, some sessions were delivered with a focus on the K-smile Campaign: watching the campaign’s PR video, participation in the pledge of kindness, and a promise of kindness and smiles to foreign tourists whom they will come across during the tour. <K-Smile Campaign held in association with the launching ceremony of Rail-ro Promotion Team for Tourism in Northern Gyeongsang Province at the Seoul Station Plaza.> <K-Smile PR video screened at the launching ceremony > <Let’s participate in the pledge of kindness!> <Pledge of kindness – You who give beautiful smiles are a member of the National Smile Team!> <Members of the University Student National Smile Team participating in the K-Smile Campaign>

Date : 2016/07/26 | Views : 4489

Visit Korea Committee Concludes Business Agreement with Changwon City Government for Mutual Growth in Tourism

Visit Korea Committee Concludes Business Agreement with Changwon City Government for Mutual Growth in Tourism On July 4, the Visit Korea Committee (VKC) and Changwon City Government (CCG) signed a business agreement for mutual growth in the fields of tourism. Accordingly, the committee plans to conduct collaborative tourism marketing with the CCG to attract foreign tourists during the period of the “2016 -2018 Visit Korea Year.” How will they push forward with exchange and cooperation? Their partnership will obviously serve as a great chance to promote the beautiful tourist attractions throughout Changwon over the whole campaign period! <Discussion between the VKC and CCG for mutual growth in the fields of tourism> <"Discussion between the VKC and CCG for mutual growth in the fields of tourism> <VKC Secretary General Katie Han> <Business agreement signed off between the VKC and CCG – (left) VKC Secretary General Katie Han, (right) Mayor of Changwon Ahn Sang-soo> <VKC–CCG business agreement ceremony – (left) VKC Planning Team Divisional Manager Kim Moon-joo, Service Improvement Team Director Lee Eun-jeong, Planning Team Director Ryu Kwan-young, Secretary General Katie Han, Mayor of Changwon Ahn Sang-soo, Tourism & Culture Bureau Director Huh Jong-gil, Tourism Division Manager Lee Choong-soo, Culture & Arts Division Manager Park Jong-in>

Date : 2016/07/20 | Views : 4978