A Dynamic Year
for Tourism

KTA Chairman Shin urges tourism industry to build base for attracting 10 mln tourists by 2010

Chairman of Korea Tourism Association Shin Joong-mok, in his speech at a New Year's Gathering for Tourist People at Hotel Lotte in downtown Seoul Jan. 8, that the tourism industry will play a big role as a key industry for the country this year. We, tourism people, have been greatly encouraged by the government's strategies to strengthen the competitive edge of the tourism industry, which is the most comprehensive and stunning support measure for the development of tourism in the country targeted at increasing the foreign tourist arrivals to 10 million by 2010. He called on tourism people that they should reform their operations and develop the new service system to show that they can stand their own in response to the government support. He 3.8 million tourism people in the country should unite together and become a force for the stable tourism industry and in the progress of the national economy. He said he hopes that every one in the industry would have a good year this year and stay healthy.
Dignitaries attending the New Year's event included Minister of Culture and Tourism Kim Myung-gon, Rep. Cho Bae-sook, chairman of the Culture-Tourism Committee of the National Assembly, President Kim Jong-min of Korea Tourism Organization, former Seoul Mayor Lee Myung-bak, Ambassador at large for tourism and sports Do Young-shim, President of Korean Air Lee Jong-hee, Vice President Lee Jong-hang of Asiana Airlines, British Ambassador to Seoul Warwick Morris, and others altogether some 1,000 people attended the event, among them some 50 foreign diplomats stationed in Seoul, politicians, business executives and journalists and tourism-related people.
Actor Yeon Kyu-jin was named as an ambassador of tourism for the Korea Tourism Association. According to a study made by the KTO, the number of tourist arrivals in the country would total 6.42 million, up 4. percent from last year with 6.17 million foreign tourists. The number is expected to increased to 7.23 million in 2010, and 9.18 million in 2016.
The number of foreign tourists is projected to increase 6.68 million in 2008, up 4 percent from the preceding year and 6.95 million in 2009, up 4 percent from 2008. The number of Japanese visitors, in the meantime, is estimated to total 2.38 million this year, up 1.28 percent from 2006 and 2.45 million next year, up 2.94 percent from this year. The number is projected to total 2.58 million in 2010, according to the KTO survey. The study said the number is likely to total 2.58 million in 2010, showing a gradual rate of increase. The study showed that the number of outbound tourists from Korea is projected to increase 10 percent this year from last year to total 12.6 million, 13.9 million next year, up 10 percent and to 15.3 million in 2010, up 10 percent from the preceding year. The number is projected to total 21.4 million in 2015, up 4 percent from the preceding year. 1999 was the peak year for increase in the number of outbound tourists from Korea rising 41.56 percent from the previous year totaling 4.34 million.
Minister of Culture and Tourism Kim Myung-gon said the winning the right to host the 14th Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang would be the crucial goal for the ministry's policy guidelines for this year. Next month an IOC survey team will arrive in Korea to inspect the facilities and plans for the Olympics to be undertaken by the Gangwon Provincial Administration and the bid committee. He also said the international cultural forum in March will be the occasion for Korea to find out its position in the international cultural scene through discussions with renowned international experts who will attend the event and domestic academics. The minister also said the Korean brand business will be upgraded to "Korean style"business to promote Hallyu or Korean Wave in the world and upgrade the traditional Korean culture to global level. He also promised that the ministry will go out in full to push tourism products this year to increase the number of tourist arrivals in the country, now that many domestic regulations have been amended and world tourism environment has been improved. nw

(photo left) Minister of Culture and Tourism Kim Myung-gon makes a speech at the New Year reception held by the Korea Tourism Association at Hotel Lotte Jan. 8 in Seoul. Dignitaries at the KTA reception cut a cake to welcome the New Year.(Photo Below) Vice Gov. Lee Chul-woo of North Gyeongsang Provincial Government and officials of the province are lined up together at a campaign to publicize the Visit North Gyeongsang Province Year. President-Publisher of NewsWorld Elizabeth M. Oh is with them.