Jeju to Host
ASTA in 2007
- Beating Ireland in a faceoff

Jeju has been awarded the right to host the ASTA International Invitational in 2007.
The Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) said on Feb. 17 that Jejus was chosen to be the venue of the 2007 ASTA International Invitation, winning a competition with Ireland, during the ASTA board meeting at the ASTA headquarters in Virginia held on Feb. 16-17.
The ASTA International Invitational will be held for three or four days in March at the Jeju International Convention Center, with an about 2,000 travel professionals expected to participate.
ASTA, short for the American Society of Travel Agents, is one of the world's largest associations of travel professionals, along with PATA. ASTA has 26,000-plus members from 140 countries, including travel agents and the companies whose products they sell such as tours, cruises, hotels and car rentals.
Jeju Gov. Kim Tae-hwan sad, "As Jeju has been awarded the right to host the 2007 ASTA International Invitation following the 2003 PATA Annual Meeting, Jeju will be able to gain momentum not only as an international travel destination but also as an international convention venue." Jeju won an international acclamation by hosting the 53rd PATA (Pacific Asia Travel Association) Annual Meeting with about 2,100 travel professionals from 48 countries participating last April.
KNTO and the Jeju provincial government joined forces in their bid to bring the 2007 ASTA International Invitational in the past five years from 2000. In particular, in cooperation with the ministry and related tourism industries, the Korean side succeeded in meeting the ASTA side's demanding conditions on air fares and hotel rates, and conducted publicity activities for ASTA executives and board members with voting rights, said Sung Kyung-ja, chief of the International Cooperation Team at KNTO.
Korea hosted the 1983 ASTA International Invitational for the first time. Each host country of the ASTA International Invitation has witnessed an average of 15 percent surge in international tourists. The 2007 ASTA International Invitational will serve as an opportunity to introduce Jeju to ASTA members, thus helping Jeju diversify its international tourist markets and attract more international tourists.
In an effort to make Jeju's hosting the 2007 ASTA International Invitational a success, the Jeju provincial government plans to beef up publicity activities by participating in the 2205 and 2006 ASTA International Invitational. nw