The Korea Herald

Fujita Kanko opens Korean office

Japanese hospitality company Fujita Kanko will open a Seoul office on Aug. 1, incorporating its Shanghai office, to expand its Asian business base. The company said it is seeking business opportunities in hospitality, leisure travel and the wedding and banquet business in Seoul based on its 57 years of travel business experience. “Opening the Seoul office and incorporating our Shanghai office demonstrates our firm commitment to the Asian market,” said the president Kazumasa Suezawa.Fujita Kanko

July 27, 2012

KTO releases carbon neutral travel package

The Korea Tourism Organization introduced a carbon neutral travel package and plans to donate part of its proceeds to an environmental NGO. The proceeds will also help anti-desertification and yellow dust prevention projects in Mongolia. Jointly developed by Korea Railroad Corporation, Hotel Sky Park, Hotel Shilla Duty Free and Green Asia, the travel package covers a three-day trip to Kanto region of Japan, which includes the greater Tokyo area. The package includes fare for the airport train or

July 27, 2012

KORAIL to open mini library on KTX

Korea Railroad Corporation has signed a memorandum of understanding with Kyobo Book Store to set up a mini library on KTX trains as part of its efforts to upgrade services for first class travelers and celebrate the year of books. From August, first class travelers will be able to read books and magazines on the train, which most of them are related to leisure, culture and travel, selected by KORAIL and Kyobo Book Store. About 4,800 books and magazines will be offered by the book store, which wi

July 27, 2012

Museum preserves legacy of John Steinbeck

SALINAS, California (AP) ― They were the stuff of another America: Tom Joad in “The Grapes of Wrath.”George and Lenny in “Of Mice and Men.” Lee Chong, Doc and the delightfully larcenous Mack and the bums in “Cannery Row.” Danny and Pilon in “Tortilla Flat.” Adam and Cal Trask in “East of Eden.”Whether you met these classic characters while reading the novels of John Steinbeck or you’re encountering them for the first time, they come to life at the National Steinbeck Center, a sprawling and moder

July 27, 2012

Museum preserves legacy of John Steinbeck

So much to see and do in London

LONDON ― The exterior of Westminster Abbey is imposing and grandiose.Our plan was simple: Pay the admission, stick our heads inside to see what it looked like, and then quickly duck out and move on to a museum.The museum never happened.That because expatriate Geoff Auerbach, my wife, Pat, and I were all dazzled by the thousand-year-old church where England’s kings and queens have been crowned since 1066. That is a lot of history.Iconic Westminster Abbey is, quite frankly, a lot of church with it

July 27, 2012

‘Door to hell’ burning for 40 years

In a desert in Turkmenistan, there is a giant hole of fire called “The door to hell” by locals.The crater was dug by Soviet geologists in a effort to discover natural gas in 1971 and the flames within have been burning ever since.As the team tapped into a cavern, the ground beneath the drilling rig collapsed and left a hole with a diameter of 70 meters.Fearing that the hole would lead to the release of poisonous gases, the team decided to burn it off. It was hoped that the fire would burn out wi

July 27, 2012

San Diego opens tourism office

San Diego Convention and Visitors Bureau has opened a Korean office this week. The Korean office will be managed by private marketing agent Aviareps Marketing Garden, which will focus on promoting San Diego as an attractive travel destination in Korea as well as fostering cooperation with local travel companies and airlines, it said. “San Diego is the best destination for leisure travel and tourists looking for warm and clear weather,” said the head of San Diego travel bureau Joe Terzi. San Dieg

July 20, 2012

AirBusan launches Busan-Macau service

AirBusan launched a nonstop service between Busan and Macau on July 19. The flight departs from Gimhae International Airport on Thursday and Sunday at 10 p.m. and arrives at Macau International Airport at 12:25 a.m. local time. The return flight departs Macau at 1:50 a.m. and arrives at Busan at 6:10 a.m.AirBusan also offers flights between Busan and Hong Kong three times a week. The airline offers domestic flights between Busan and Gimpo and Jeju, and international flights between Busan and Tok

July 20, 2012

Hawaiian Air offers daily flights to Honolulu

Hawaiian Airlines has increased the number of flights between Incheon and Honolulu from four flights a week to daily this week as the number of Korean visitors to the island has risen steadily since the launch of the service in January last year. The Hawaiian flight departs daily from Incheon International Airport at 10 p.m. and arrives at Honolulu International Airport at 12:05 p.m. the same day. The return flight departs Honolulu at 12 p.m. and arrives at Incheon at 4:35 p.m. the following day

July 20, 2012

See the other side of London during Olympics

Hot, crowded and chaotic. London can be all that in summer. Throw in an extra million people a day during the Olympics that begin later this month, and finding a corner of the city that doesn’t feel like Disneyland will be a challenge.If you’re going to London, this is the summer to throw out the usual guidebook recommendations and get creative with your sightseeing, dining and cultural plans.Unless you have tickets to the Olympics marathon swimming or triathlon events in Hyde Park, head instead

July 20, 2012

See the other side of London during Olympics

Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah overshadowed by famous neighbors

CANNONVILLE, Utah ― There’s a very colorful state park in southern Utah that gets overlooked, despite its distinctive rock chimneys from long-dead petrified geysers.Kodachrome Basin State Park gets little respect, lost amidst the glitter of its more famous neighboring national parks: Bryce, Zion, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches. It is also surrounded by Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument that covers 1.9 million acres.But Kodachrome Basin is a desert gem. At an elevation of 5,800 fe

July 20, 2012

Kodachrome Basin State Park in Utah overshadowed by famous neighbors

Egypt celebrates National Day under new leadership

The following article was contributed by the Embassy of Egypt on the occasion of the National Day of the Arab Republic of Egypt. ― Ed.Approximately a year-and-a-half past the date of the historic revolution of Egypt, its people celebrate their National Day this year under the leadership of its first-ever democratically-elected president. With the swearing in of Dr. Mohamed Morsy on June 30, 2012, Egypt, being the most populous Arab nation and the beacon of development in its geographical sphere,

July 17, 2012

Egypt celebrates National Day under new leadership

Lawn chair balloon flight forced to land

Adventurers Kent Couch and Fareed Lafta lift off Saturda from Couch`s gas station in Bend, Oregon, as they attempt to fly some 360 miles to Montana. (AP-Yonhap News)A lawn chair balloon flight for two men was forced to land early in Oregon due to variable wind, thunderstorms and the loss of 35 helium-filled balloons.Kent Couch and Fareed Lafta hoped to reach Montana by Sunday in their specially bu

July 16, 2012

Lawn chair balloon flight forced to land

Kitten stows away on 6,500-mile journey

Animal rescuers in California said a kitten stowed away in a shipping container and made a 6,500 mile freighter trip from China.Marcia Mayeda, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Animal Care & Control, said the kitten survived the trip without any food or water and was taken to the Carson Animal Center after the crate she was in was delivered Thursday to a Compton business, the Los An

July 15, 2012

European crisis drags down business travel

NEW YORK (AP) ― U.S. companies are scaling back their travel plans in response to Europe’s financial crisis and uncertainty about the economy at home.American business travelers are now expected to take 437.9 million trips this year, the Global Business Travel Association said Tuesday. That’s down 1.2 percent from an estimate made in April by the travel and meetings trade group.The outlook for next year is even worse, with the trade group lowering its forecast to 435 million trips, down 1.9 perc

July 13, 2012

KTO to operate rush ticket website

The Korea Tourism Organization plans to open a website that sells rush tickets that are sold on the day of performance at discounted prices starting August. The website will offer 50 to 90 percent discount on the rush tickets for major performances held at Daehangno, a theater district in Seoul, as well as major art centers. For more information, call (02) 729-9536.

July 13, 2012

CityMap rolls out new travel apps

App developer company CityMap has launched two mobile travel applications featuring information on more than 600 camping sites in Korea, as well as travel information on Jeju. “The Camping Roadmap” features detailed information about camping sites nationwide ― facilities, surroundings, ground conditions ― with high-definition photos. The “Jeju Roadmap” includes information on accommodation, restaurants, tourist attractions, the Olle walking trail, rental cars, and leisure companies based on thre

July 13, 2012

Korail offers travel to Boryeong Mud Fest

Korea Railroad Corporation offers a special travel package including train tickets to the Boryeong Mud Festival to Boryeong in South Chungcheong Province, accommodation and transportation on arrival. Those who purchase the package can get a 20 percent discount on the roundtrip train tickets. There are two types of travel programs ― one with basic transportation and accommodation with entrance fee to the festival and the other with additional tickets for rail bike or cruise ship experiences. The

July 13, 2012

Denver’s downtown becoming hot spot for cocktails, food ― and ice cream

DENVER ― I never thought of Denver as much of a foodie destination, though Frasca, a 30-minute drive away in Boulder, gets heaps of well-deserved praise. But on a weekend trip a few months ago, I encountered a few meals ― and a few drinks ― that have me eager to return.The LoDo (lower downtown) area has undergone an amazing revitalization and now is crowded with restaurants and bars and young professionals eager to sample them. The turnaround began with the 1988 opening of Wynkoop Brewing Co., a

July 13, 2012

Denver’s downtown becoming hot spot for cocktails, food ― and ice cream

Zambia underfoot: On the ground at Zebra Plains

MFUWE, Zambia ― We’re nodding off in our tent, pitched under a tree, when the crunching and gnashing begin.It’s the hippos again, a half-dozen massive beasts climbing up from the Luangwa River for their nightly feed. During September, a hot, dry month here at Zebra Plains Camp, in northeast Zambia, the tree’s foot-long fruit hang low, an irresistible meal for diners with gaping jaws and fist-size grinders.Silence falls as the hippos lumber away. For a moment we doze ― well wined and dined after

July 13, 2012

Zambia underfoot: On the ground at Zebra Plains