South Korea gets Sri Lanka trade ready for tourism

Korea Tourism Organization (KTO), in association with TravTalk, successfully concluded its exclusive webinar for the Sri Lanka travel trade on 30 July.

This first-ever webinar by KTO for the SL trade highlighted the unbelievably beautiful regions of Korea that would be ideal for the Sri Lankan traveller. 

The webinar, which saw the eminent presence of Young Geul Choi, Deputy Director at Korea Tourism Organization’s New Delhi Office, was led by Sandeep Dutta, Marketing Manager, Korea Tourism Organization New Delhi Office and Trevor Rajaratnam, Immediate Past President – TAASL, Vice President – UFTAA, and Past President – IATA Agents Association of Sri Lanka, as speakers.

Addressing attendees, Choi said, “As the world starts to get back to normal and international travel resumes slowly, this is the best time to update the Sri Lanka travel industry about Korea’s latest tourism products. I am confident that international travel between the two countries will begin soon. I look forward to active collaboration with the Travel Agents Association of Sri Lanka, to work more actively in the Sri Lanka market once regular flights resume.” 

Besides updating the trade about Korea’s most beautiful and scenic locales, Dutta, in his presentation, provided insights on the uniqueness of the country’s food and culture, while even offering some tips to agents who handle MICE groups in particular.

He said: “If you have any group travelling to South Korea, then we have a support program where we provide basic incentives for groups to the nation. The criteria for qualifying for this support program, which includes souvenirs, monument entrance tickets, etc., is actually very simple. Your group has to be of minimum 10 people and they have to be staying in South Korea for at least two nights.” He added that MICE support increases as the group size increases. “If you have a very big group, we can actually customise the support program,” he said.

Sharing another tip for agents getting groups to South Korea, Dutta said, “There is a very interesting way in which South Korea promotes its traditional dress – the Hanbok – in tourism. If you are wearing the Korean traditional costume, which is easily available to rent all over the city and at tourist sites, you do not have to pay for the entrance ticket when visiting a monument or palace.”

The Republic of Korea and Sri Lanka enjoy friendly relations, both past and present. Their bilateral political and economic relations have also been keenly developed by both countries over the years. Tourism to South Korea from Sri Lanka has also been on the rise. In 2019, the country witnessed a 2.4% growth in arrivals from Sri Lanka and a corresponding growth in the share the latter held in the cumulative tourist arrivals of South Korea in 2019 versus 2018. These arrivals consisted of leisure tourists, business travellers, official visitors, and others.

Providing an insight on what makes South Korea a lucrative destination to travel to from Sri Lanka, especially in a post-COVID world, Rajaratnam said, “One of the key aspects is that Korea has managed the COVID-19 situation very well, just as Sri Lanka has. If you look around what’s happening in the world, we are all waiting for airports to open and when airports open, countries will be selective about who they want should come into the country and they will look for COVID-free countries that have handled the pandemic well. Here’s an opportunity, I feel. As South Korea opens its airport, they will welcome Sri Lankans because we have also managed the COVID-19 situation well. We already have good air connection to Korea. There is nothing that would stop the travel agent community from promoting South Korea as it opens. Sri Lankans want to travel to safe destinations.”

He added that it was time the industry and people started preparing for the gradual movement of air travel to get off the ground once again. He believes that it will be sooner than later when things begin to bounce back.

Buzz Travel Marketing India has over 25 years of experience in the travel industry. It is one of India’s most dynamic and proactive travel representation companies offering Sales, Marketing, Media and PR Services for international tourism products. It is a focused marketing organisation, which develops and builds brands, coupled with sales and distribution through the Indian travel industry and direct consumer channels.