What added value does Korea offer compared to other destinations in South-East Asia and around the world?
Jung Chang Soo - South Korea has a number of key assets that enable it to meet the needs of demanding business travellers and claim a leading position in business tourism in Asia. High-quality, modern infrastructure is the first tangible proof of Korea's added value. Since its opening in 2009, theIncheon International Airport remained in the top 3 of Skytrax's ranking of the world's best airports. The airport has also become a veritable a key hub in Asia 84 airlines serve 185 cities in 55 countries around the world. The quest for excellence will continue in mid-January with the opening of the Terminal 2 dedicated to Skyteam airlinesThis has led to an increase in traffic just before the PyeongChang Winter Olympics in February. For French travellers, Korea is very easy to get to: no visa For stays of less than 90 days, no ticket is required, and it is even possible to take advantage of a stopover of a few hours to enjoy a free package tour outside the airport. As Korea is known as a leader in technological innovation, business travellers will find unrivalled quality of internet connection with the 5G which will be launched before the other countries at the Winter Olympics. Despite its bustling megalopolis and impressive futurism, Korea has managed to preserve its traditional culture and highlight its 5,000 years of history, while the Korean people remain friendly and welcoming.
What role do France and Europe play in Korea's business tourism strategy?
Jung Chang Soo - The business tourism market from Europe, and France in particular, is constantly growing. Korea is keen to make a special effort to diversify its markets, and the European market offers great potential for development. France is the third largest emitter in Europe, after the United Kingdom and Germany.
What difference will hosting the Olympic Games make to the country and to the business tourism sector?
Jung Chang Soo - As with all countries, hosting a sporting event of this scale has an impact on the country's economy and development. For the PyeongChang Winter Olympics, new transport lines have been created to better serve the host region from Incheon and Seoul. Two motorways and a KTX line - the high-speed train - will be inaugurated at the end of the year. Hotel capacity has been substantially increased with the construction of several 3 and 4 star hotels, mainly in Gangneung and PyeongChang. To better welcome this new flow of foreign visitors, the government has also set up the following campaigns VisitKorea Year 2016-2018 and K-smileThe aim is to improve the experience of travellers and the quality of the services on offer. The Winter Olympics will shed new light on this little-known country. South Korea will gain in notoriety, recognition and visitors!
Thirty years after the Seoul Olympic Games, the athletes won't be the same... and, on the face of it, neither will Korea?
Jung Chang Soo - The 1988 Olympic Games were a springboard for the dazzling development of modern Korea: transport, the Seoul metro, new hotels, etc. All the infrastructure was redesigned and improved for the 1988 Games. Since then, urban development and service improvements have been a constant focus. The 2002 football world cup was also a breath of fresh air, raising Korea's profile on the international stage. In 2018, we want to consolidate this position and enhance the presence of Korea, which remains a new destination, yet to be discovered on the European market. Visitors will be able to enjoy high-quality, efficient and innovative services. We hope to raise the profile of Korea even further and set new records in terms of the number of foreign visitors, which rose to over 17 million in 2016.
For some years now, Korean culture has been exporting very well internationally, including to France. Are you banking on this to attract more corporate events?
Jung Chang Soo - Music, cinema, gastronomy and cosmetics are all areas in which Korea wishes to position itself as an innovative country. These are sectors that help to spread Korean culture, both modern and traditional, through mass consumption. Of course, we need to capitalise on this to raise awareness of Korea's particularities in various fields and to draw the attention of corporate event organisers to the country's strong cultural assets. The Korean cultural wave, "Hallyuis already having a major impact on the Asia region. What's more, tourist sites are being developed in Korea around these themes: film locations, music concerts and so on. Kpop in holograms, gastronomic experience centres ....
Is business tourism concentrated in Seoul, or are you managing to extend it to the whole country?
Jung Chang Soo - There are convention bureaus all over Korea and business tourism is spreading throughout the country. In the South, BusanUlsan, the country's second-largest city, attracts visitors for its port and the Hyundai Heavy Industries / Hyundai Motor Company base in Ulsan. Daegu is also a major convention centre and is particularly well known in the field of advanced medicine and Oriental medicine.
What are the Tourist Office's missions and priorities?
Jung Chang Soo - L'Korean National Tourist Board is responsible for promoting tourism in Korea to tourism professionals, the media and the general public. We were there to support the promotion of the Olympic Games with the official ticketing agencies (Eventeam, in France).
How do you plan to build on the Olympic momentum over the next few years?
Jung Chang Soo - Hosting the Olympic Games is the perfect opportunity to talk about Korea, to showcase a little-known winter destination, and to develop international tourism in the region. Gangwon-do region which until now has attracted visitors mainly for its superb Seoraksan National Park. The spotlight that will be shone on Korea in the media during the Olympic Games is bound to be a new source of dynamism and interest for Korea. Of course, we are continuing our efforts to make our country an ever more pleasant destination for visitors. In fact, in 2016, the Korea Tourism Board launched the K-Smile campaign, which aims to improve the infrastructure and services for foreign visitors in order to increase their loyalty. This may involve, for example, more signage in English, luggage transport services or discount coupons for shopping. A warm welcome for each and every visitor remains our main motivation!
