Over 2,000 employees from a Taiwanese food franchise company are expected to travel to the South Korean capital on a group trip beginning this month, the Seoul government announced on Wednesday. (Image: Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 24 (Korea Bizwire) — The Seoul Metropolitan Government is ramping up its efforts to attract tourists from Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries amid a drastic drop in the number of Chinese visitors.
Over 2,000 employees from a Taiwanese food franchise company are expected to travel to the South Korean capital on a group trip beginning this month, the Seoul government announced on Wednesday.
From August until the end of November, each group of 80 to 90 people will stay in Seoul for four nights and five days, thanks to the Seoul government’s policy to give a moderate level of financial support to tourist groups who are staying in the city.
Seoul’s latest move comes in the wake of the decline of Chinese tourists, who were once the most dominant nationals in the South Korean tourism industry until the deployment of a politically charged anti-missile THAAD system exacerbated South Korea-China relations.
During the first half of this year, the number of Taiwanese tourists increased by 28.6 percent compared to the same time last year, while Middle Eastern and Southeast Asian tourists jumped over 50 percent.
Kim Jae-yong, a Seoul government official responsible for tourism policy, said, “From meetings, incentive travel and conventions to exhibitions and events, we plan to develop and support programs to focus on the MICE field to reshape the landscape of the tourism industry.
“Working closely with South Korean companies, we are venturing into to the South East Asian market in the second half of this year.”
Ashley Song (ashley@koreabizwire.com)
