Stepping up Gyeonggi Tourism

New CEO Kim to take advantage of Universal Studio Korea Resort to drum up Gyeonggi Province Tourism

Kim Myung-soo said he was very glad to head the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO) to develop the tourism industry in Gyeonggi Province this year, the initial year in the second decade of the 21st century.
President Kim, who took over the helm of the GTO on Feb. 1, said in this age of limitless competition sweeping the world, he feels a heavy responsibility as the CEO and he will do his best in executing the tourism policies of the province together with all of those working for GTO so that no mistakes are made.
Kim said he would like to outline his management direction in taking charge of various tasks ahead at GTO by reviewing the tourism conditions in the province and changes in the tourism environment in the world. He said, “We are in the age of limitless competition among cities and local regions for tourism. All the tourists in the world have already become accustomed to a top class tourism environment and they want a top-class tourism environment, facilities and service for their highest satisfaction and emotional experience.”
The new CEO continued, “We in Gyeonggi Province should get out of the region and into the world in the future. We have to create a top-class tourism environment and provide services that will move tourists.”
In this connection, the Universal Studios Korea Resort will make Korea only the fifth country among the G-20 nations to have such a global theme park, which will upgrade the brand image of Korea and Gyeonggi Province.
The province has a market of 25 million people in its surrounding areas and 1 billion people within two hours’ flying time, making it a huge tourism market. At the same time, the province has been the center of the Korean Peninsula throughout the 5,000-year-long Korean history, with its own splendid history, culture and environment, with truly diverse and competitive tourism resources.
“We have to collect creative ideas to perk up the tourism industry by developing the tourism potential that the province has,” Kim said. The Lotte Group signed an agreement to push ahead with the Universal Studios project in Hwaseong, south of Seoul, with Universal Parks & Resorts (UPR) and POSCO E&C on Jan. 19 in Seoul. On hand at the signing ceremony at the Lotte Hotel were Gyeonggi Gov. Kim Moon-soo, Lotte Group Chairman Shin Dong-bin, UPR Chairman and CEO Thomas Williams, POSCO E&C President and CEO Chung Dong-hwa and 15 other business partner representatives. Under the agreement, the project will be launched in March 2011 and the first phase of construction of the theme park will be completed by March 2014. The deal calls for the construction of the projected Universal Studios Korea Resort (USKR) on a site of 4.35 sq. kilometers within the Songsan Green City Complex in Hwaseong at a cost of 3 trillion won. Such facilities as a water park; “City Work;” auxiliary facilities unique for Universal Studios of the United States; a theme hotel; a premium outlet shopping center; a supermarket; condominiums; and golf courses will be constructed in addition to the theme park.
The participating business partner representatives pledged to make the USKR project a theme park with a world-class size and a competitive edge. They stressed the fact that renowned film director Steven Spielberg will participate in the planning of the project to make the planned studio. nw

(photo from left)President Kim Myung-soo of the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization at his inaugural ceremony on Feb. 1. Participants at the signing of a memorandum of agreement to build the Universal Studio Korea Resorts in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province, Jan. 19 between the Universal Parks and Resorts and the Lotte Group and POSCO Engineering and Construction. Dignitaries at the event included Gov. Kim Moon-soo of Gyeonggi Province, Chairman Shin Dong-bin of Lotte Group UPR Chairman Thomas Williams and POSCO E&C President Chung Dong-hwa, among others.