South Korea, marking its 65th yr of diplomatic relations with Thailand, is all set to attract extra Thai tourists. This comes as a half of a bilateral effort to revive the tourism trade in both nations, which shares a sturdy relationship economically, socially, and culturally.
Covid-19 restrictions saw a decline in worldwide tourism, with South Korea welcoming about 570,000 Thai vacationers every year prior to the pandemic. Following the easing of those restrictions, South Korea is keen to welcome worldwide tourists back under its new marketing campaign, Travel to Korea Begins Again. The top 5 international arrivals in Korea are from the United States, China, Japan, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia, with Thailand being the primary vacationer market from this area.
South Korea can be keen to advertise new destinations such as Chungcheongnamdo (South Chungcheong province) and Chungcheongbukdo (North Chungcheong province) within the central area. The Korea Thailand Communication Centre (KTCC) and Chungcheong Region just lately invited the Thai Travel Agents Association (TTAA) and media shops on a familiarisation trip to those areas.
Kim Jung-soo, manager of Cheongju International Airport, spoke optimistically concerning the impression of every day direct flights from Cheongju International Airport to Don Mueang International Airport, stating that about 150-200 Korean vacationers now visit Thailand day by day. Illegal -soo hopes this low-cost airline hyperlink will entice more Thai tourists, notably these interested in medical or wellness tourism, to visit Chungcheong.
The Chungcheong area offers tourists a blend of history and tradition. The Cheongnamdae Presidential Villa, built in 1983 by then-president Chun Doo-hwan, is one such attraction. The villa has been open to the public since 2003 and has received more than thirteen million visitors in 2022.
Another historical attraction is the Beopjusa Temple on Songnisan Mountain in Chungcheongbukdo. This Buddhist temple is certainly one of Korea’s oldest and biggest, courting back around 1,500 years. The temple, a Unesco World Heritage Site, is understood for its cultural heritage, together with a 33-metre-tall gilded bronze Buddha statue.
Chungcheong also provides trendy points of interest just like the world’s largest rooftop backyard at the Government Complex Sejong and the Expo Science Park, sizzling springs and Uineungjeongi Cultural Street in Daejeon, the fifth-largest metropolis in Korea.
Despite these attractions, Wachira Wichaiwatana, vice president of TTAA, expressed concern about the ‘phi noi’ or “little ghosts,” referring to Thai job-seekers who enter South Korea as tourists after which disappear to work in the grey economic system. This concern has led to some Thai visitors being denied entry to the nation.
Young-Sook Yoon, Convergence Team director of the Daejeon Tourism Organisation, stated that Daejeon is keen to welcome particular person and enterprise travellers. She also mentioned that the Korea Tourism Organisation plans to host a K-Culture festival and maintain B2B meetings in Bangkok this month to advertise tourism sights and actions in second-tier cities.
Ultimately, South Korea’s rich mix of historical past, tradition, and modern points of interest, coupled with its new marketing campaign, is poised to attract a major variety of Thai vacationers in the coming months, stories Bangkok Post..