The Korea Herald

Chinese holidaymakers flocking to Korea

At least 45,000 Chinese travelers are expected to flock to Korea during the neighboring state’s biggest holiday beginning over the weekend, according to Korea’s tourism agency.An average of 800 million Chinese people travel abroad or visit local regions during the country’s Lunar New Year holiday, which falls on Jan. 22-28 this year.Expecting the number of Chinese visitors to increase by about 35 percent from the previous year, the Korea Tourism Organization has been preparing events for the lar

Jan. 18, 2012

‘New tourism aim quality, not quantity’

KTO chief stresses high-quality tourism, upgrading of the country’s imageWhile an ardent promoter of “long vacation culture,” President Lee Charm of the Korea Tourism Organization has yet to settle his winter holiday plans. With so many things he wants to accomplish in 2012, the final year of his three-year term, it may be a while before Lee maps out plans for another trip around Korea, the country he cherishes so dearly. Lee, a lover of mountains, took a two-week trip around the nation last sum

Jan. 13, 2012

Story of a Sweet Lunar New Year

The Grand Hilton Seoul is helping guests celebrate Korea’s traditional Lunar New Year holiday in style with a choice of four “Very Sweet Holiday Package” deals through Jan. 24.All four packages include tickets to visit the “Sweet Museum,” which is being hosted by the Grand Hilton Seoul Convention Centre. The museum offers Korea’s first food and art exhibition staged by famous food artists using cookies, sugar and chocolates. The Cookie Package offers an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room, while The

Jan. 13, 2012

KTO offers promotions for Chinese tourists

Expecting some 45,000 Chinese tourists to visit Korea during the first quarter of the year, the Korea Tourism Organization is offering special events.Celebrating the 20th anniversary since Korea and China set up diplomatic ties, Korea will have a Visit Korea Year ceremony in Beijing in February and hold cultural performance road shows in some 18 major Chinese cities. Simultaneously, the country is offering special discount promotions for China’s Union Pay credit card users. Those who shop with t

Jan. 13, 2012

KTO picks six places to visit in January

The Korea Tourism Organization has selected the top six places in Korea to visit during the first month of the year for locals and foreign travelers. The selected places are Seoguipo on Jeju Island; Goseong in Gangwon Province; Suncheon in South Jeolla; Hadong in South Gyeongsang; Taean in South Chungcheong and Paju in Gyeonggi Province. While these regions are scattered all over the country, they are all great places to make New Year wishes while watching sun rise, the KTO said.The Seongsanilch

Jan. 13, 2012

A heated wax museum war takes shape in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES -- Dissing Angelina Jolie normally isn‘t the best way to get ahead in this town.But tough times call for tough tactics in the war of the Hollywood wax museums.Madame Tussauds, which considers itself the ne plus ultra of wax artistry -- with the $25 ticket price to match -- is trying to best its cheaper competitor, the Hollywood Wax Museum, with a new marketing blitz stressing the defects in its rival’s paraffin starlets, singers and comics.In a wax version of a cola taste test, Madam

Jan. 13, 2012

Skiing and snowboarding: Many people do both now

The relationship between skiers and snowboarders might still be a bit icy at times, but a versatile group has discovered there’s more than one way to get down the mountain.“Before, you were either a skier or a boarder. Now people do both,” said Greg Ditrinco, editor of SKI Magazine. “It’s a new phenomenon.”The crossover is being led primarily by snowboarders who are finding they can do more with two boards on their feet than one. Skis allow for more tricks in the pipes, and for more accessibilit

Jan. 13, 2012

Skiing and snowboarding: Many people do both now

A wax museum war heats up in Hollywood

LOS ANGELES ― Dissing Angelina Jolie normally isn’t the best way to get ahead in this town.But tough times call for tough tactics in the war of the Hollywood wax museums.Madame Tussauds, which considers itself the ne plus ultra of wax artistry ― with the $25 ticket price to match ― is trying to best its cheaper competitor, the Hollywood Wax Museum, with a new marketing blitz stressing the defects in its rival’s paraffin starlets, singers and comics.In a wax version of a cola taste test, Madame T

Jan. 13, 2012

Renaissance Seoul Hotel offers oyster promotion

Renaissance Seoul Hotel’s steakhouse Manhattan Grill is offering special dishes using seasonal oysters through Feb. 29. Using fresh oysters that are brought in from the Tongyeong region, Manhattan Grill presents the “Oyster Cocktail with Caviar” and “Special Oyster Set.”The Oyster Cocktail uses natural oysters that weigh approximately 1 kilogram and the chefs dress the oyster on the spot to maintain the freshness and the rich taste. The six-course Oyster Set gives one a chance to taste the winte

Jan. 13, 2012

Japan's PM reshuffles Cabinet to win tax support

TOKYO (AP) _ Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda replaced five members of his Cabinet on Friday in a bid to win more cooperation from the opposition to raise the sales tax and rein in the country's bulging fiscal deficit.Two of the removed ministers had been censured by the opposition, including former Defense Minister Yasuo Ichikawa, who claimed he was unaware of the details of a 1995 rape of a schoolgirl by three U.S. servicemen on the island of Okinawa _ an incident that continues to deepl

Jan. 13, 2012

Story of a Sweet Lunar New Year

The Grand Hilton Seoul is helping guests celebrate Korea’s traditional Lunar New Year holiday in style with a choice of four “Very Sweet Holiday Package” deals through Jan. 24.All four packages include tickets to visit the “Sweet Museum,” which is being hosted by the Grand Hilton Seoul Convention Centre. The museum offers Korea’s first food and art exhibition staged by famous food artists using cookies, sugar and chocolates. The Cookie Package offers an overnight stay in a Deluxe Room, while The

Jan. 13, 2012

KTO offers promotions for Chinese tourists

Expecting some 45,000 Chinese tourists to visit Korea during the first quarter of the year, the Korea Tourism Organization is offering special events.Celebrating the 20th anniversary since Korea and China set up diplomatic ties, Korea will have a Visit Korea Year ceremony in Beijing in February and hold cultural performance road shows in some 18 major Chinese cities. Simultaneously, the country is offering special discount promotions for China’s Union Pay credit card users. Those who shop with t

Jan. 13, 2012

KTO picks six places to visit in January

The Korea Tourism Organization has selected the top six places in Korea to visit during the first month of the year for locals and foreign travelers. The selected places are Seoguipo on Jeju Island; Goseong in Gangwon Province; Suncheon in South Jeolla; Hadong in South Gyeongsang; Taean in South Chungcheong and Paju in Gyeonggi Province. While these regions are scattered all over the country, they are all great places to make New Year wishes while watching sun rise, the KTO said.The Seongsanilch

Jan. 13, 2012

Hong Kong "Capsule Bed"

"Capsule bed" manufacturer Eric Wong poses inside a modified capsule-like bedroom imported from Japan in his showroom in Hong Kong Saturday, Jan. 7, 2012. (AP) The structure, with each sleeping area has an air conditioner, a TV and an audio facility, mainly targets mainland China's travelers an

Jan. 9, 2012

Like walking? Try the Himalayan range, all of it

In the shadow of Mount Everest and its magnetic lore, a cross-border route with a grand name, the Great Himalaya Trail, is being touted as an epic, untapped alternative to the bucket-list trek to base camp on the world’s highest mountain.Trekking this trail is an odyssey, not a routine vacation, and even promoters admit that it’s more a theory or consumer product for an untested market than a continuous path. Instead, it’s a web of paths, many unmapped and barely connecting, that meander east to

Jan. 6, 2012

Like walking? Try the Himalayan range, all of it

Plunging into Paradise at Atlantis Island resort

PARADISE ISLAND, Bahamas ― My daughter circled the sun, bobbing around the yellow mosaic tile work at the bottom of the pool. Everywhere in the Royal Baths, the water was no deeper than 3 feet, which meant that my 9-year-old could touch the bottom wherever she happened to float.I felt no need to play lifeguard. My iced coffee was within arm’s reach. A newspaper, unopened, lay at the foot of the lounge chair. I closed my eyes, preparing to take my own dive, not into water but deep relaxation, the

Jan. 6, 2012

Plunging into Paradise at Atlantis Island resort

Lotte Hotel Seoul’s La Seine reopens with better menu

Lotte Hotel Seoul’s La Seine has been reborn as an upscale buffet restaurant and reopened this month. Celebrating its 1st anniversary, the restaurant has special events planned until the end of this month. La Seine is offering “1st Anniversary Menus” prepared with fresh ingredients such as flying fish roe, spicy crispy lobster, barbecue pork, lobster thermidor, beef bone broth with ginseng and snow crab.The Spanish Tapas Gala Dinner will be held on Jan. 11. Priced at 150,000 won per person, the

Jan. 6, 2012

A healthy, happy, sweet New Year

The Westin Chosun Seoul is offering New Year gifts from Jan. 19-25. The package, coming in three types, is priced 200,000 to 330,000 won.The Happy New Year package includes a night in a Business Deluxe Room, herbal medicinal cosmetics travel kit and two packets of sliced honey marinated Korean red ginseng. The Healthy New Year package offers a night in an Executive Deluxe, the Westin Chosun Seoul’s 2012 diary, free use of the executive lounge and breakfast for two, free access to the sauna plus

Jan. 6, 2012

Tourism organization holds ‘Ski Korea Campaign’

The Korea Tourism Organization is currently holding the “Ski Korea Campaign” to lure foreign tourists during the winter season.Joined by some 12 major ski resorts and Gangwon Province, the nation’s No. 1 winter trip destination and the host of the 2018 Winter Olympics, the campaign is aimed at drawing travelers from warm Southeast Asian countries as well as Australia and New Zealand. Through the first week of March, the KTO will hold the “Fun Ski & Snow Festival” and the “GoGo Ski & Snow Festiva

Jan. 6, 2012

Nabemono warms up winter at Millennium Seoul Hilton

Genji, Millennium Seoul Hilton’s Japanese restaurant, is offering a special “Nabemono promotion” through the end of February. The perfect antidote to the cold winter, Nabemono is a Japanese-style one-pot meal. Seafood, vegetables and noodles are added to a ceramic pot to create a savory and nourishing broth for a satisfying meal that is sure to warm one’s body as well as the soul. Nabemono specials to be featured at Genji include, Hot Pot Medley, Seafood and Udon in a Hot Pot, and Blowfish in a

Jan. 6, 2012