[Around the Hotels] Promotions and packages

Children’s package at Westin Chosun SeoulThe Westin Chosun Seoul is offering a children’s package from May 2 to May 6 filled with exciting activities. The Playground Package offers accommodation in three different suites ranging from 250,000 won to 480,000 won. It includes tickets to the “Pixar: 30 Years of Animation” exhibition at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, two facial towels and access to the Kids Zone at the hotel. Guests can also participate in a cake decorating class with children 5 y

April 21, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Gwangju Royal Ceramic FestGwangju Royal Ceramic Festival is held annually in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where royal ceramic ware was first created during the Joseon period. Launched in 1998, the festival is comprised of various programs such as performances, exhibitions, and hands-on activities. The festival is held from April 22 to May 7, and the visiting hours are from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. It is open to visitors of all ages and there is no admission fee. A separate admission fee is required for

April 21, 2017

Hilton Busan, opening July, wants to offer secluded getaway

A new Hilton hotel, along with a small village of boutique shops, is currently undergoing construction on a secluded block of land jutting out into the sea in Gijang County.The location is just north of Busan’s Haeundae Beach, one of Korea’s busiest coasts famed for its lively nightlife. The new five-star Hilton Busan, however, seeks to offer a quieter getaway, introducing a more refined type of tourism to the seaside city. “We think there is a large market for both locals and tourists who want

April 21, 2017

New ‘art-tainment’ attraction opens in Incheon

Take yourself down to Paradise City -- as the great Axl Rose once said -- and you will find more than green grass and pretty girls; you’ll stumble upon a giant yellow pumpkin in the lobby.It is a sculpture by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama that has come to be known as her alter ego.Peculiar, but so is a stroll through the artwork-filled hallways of Paradise City Hotel & Resort, a multi-complex facility on Yeongjongdo, Incheon, which boasts a five-star hotel, convention halls, shopping area, casino

April 21, 2017

[Weekender] Travel Bits

Gwangju Royal Ceramic Fest Gwangju Royal Ceramic Festival is held annually in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province, where royal ceramic ware was first created during the Joseon period. Launched in 1998, the festival is comprised of various programs such as performances, exhibitions, and hands-on activities. The festival is held from April 22 to May 7, and the visiting hours are from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. It is open to visitors of all ages and there is no admission fee. A separate admission fee is requir

April 14, 2017

[Eye Plus] Standing atop Seoul

Spring could not have come soon enough. After wintry months of one piece of gloomy news after another, things are starting to look prettier, at least on the surface.Namsan, nestled in the middle of chaotic Seoul, is finally looking more hopeful, as the barren trees and branches are being coated with blooming magnolia, forsythia and azalea.Groups of hikers and gaggles of friends and families share smiles as they walk up the trails or ride cable cars to reach the landmark N Tower and take pictures

April 7, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival The Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in the area of Jeonnong-ro and the entrance of Jeju National University. The peak of the King Cherry Tree blossoms lasts for only two to three days, but the beautiful blossoms can be seen for weeks, until April 9.There is no admission fee. For more information, call the travel hotline at 1330 or visit www.visitjeju.net. Both provide information in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese.Shinan Tulip Festival Shinan Tulip Fe

April 7, 2017

Luxury hotels offer spring packages that fete cherry blossoms

With the blooming flowers and warm breezes reminding us that spring has arrived, high-end hotels in Seoul located in areas known for cherry blossoms present room packages for guests to enjoy the season.Conrad Seoul in Yeouido -- one of go-to spots in Seoul for cherry blossom viewing -- has introduced the “Blooming Days” package, suitable particularly for picnic-goers.Conrad SeoulConrad Seoul‘s Blooming days packageThe package offers one night’s stay a in a luxury room with view of the Han River,

April 6, 2017

Korea Tour Card growing popular with foreigners

A smartcard allowing foreign tourists to enjoy various benefits is growing popular, Visit Korea Committee said Tuesday, selling over 20,000 just two months after its release.Launched in late January, the Korea Tour Card allows those visiting the country to get discounts on some tourism-related activities, encompassing shopping, sightseeing and performances such as those by Hallyu stars. It also acts as a pass for public transport anywhere in the country, until 2018. Japanese tourists pose with t

April 4, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals, sights around Korea

Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in the area of Jeonnong-ro and the entrance of Jeju National University. The peak of the King Cherry Tree blossoms lasts for only two to three days, but the beautiful blossoms can be seen for weeks, until April 9.There are no admission fees. For more information, call the travel hotline at 1330 for Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese services, or visit www.visitjeju.net for information provided in Korean, English, Japanese

March 31, 2017

Korea plans on more ‘Muslim friendly’ restaurants

To woo more Muslim tourists, the Korean government is planning to expand the number of Muslim-friendly restaurants here. Korea Tourism Organization announced that it will expand the number of such restaurants from 135 to 170 to help reach its goal of hosting 1.2 million Muslim tourists this year. It started receiving applications from local restaurants Monday and will continue to do so until April 28.Muslim tourists from Indonesia pose in front of the National Folk Museum of Korea in Seoul in th

March 28, 2017

[Herald Interview] The meaning of luxury hospitality in the age of Airbnb

MONTREUX -- As travel becomes cheaper and more personalized with the advent of online lodging services like Airbnb, feedback sites like TripAdvisor, and itinerary planners like Google Trip, the notion of “hospitality” is changing.Some say the emerging services have led to a decline in the hotel business. The leaders of Swiss Education Group, however, argue that the field of hospitality -- a sector which incorporates hotel management, fine dining, concierge services and luxury branding -- has exp

March 24, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals and sights around Korea

Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival Jeju Cherry Blossom Festival will be held in the area of Jeonnong-ro and the entrance of Jeju National University. The peak of the King Cherry Tree blossoms lasts for only 2 to 3 days, but the beautiful blossoms can be seen for weeks, from March 31 and continue until April 9.There are no admission fees or age limit.For more information, call the travel hotline at 1330 for Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese services, or visit www.visitjeju.net for information provi

March 24, 2017

Korea to issue e-visas for Southeast Asians to tackle THAAD fallout

The Korean government on Wednesday announced that it will start issuing electronic visas to Southeast Asian tourists in May, as part of its plan to aid the local tourism industry which has been hit by tension between Seoul and Beijing.In opposition of last year’s joint decision by the Korea-US alliance to station the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense system here, China has been curbing Chinese tours to Korea. This includes the reported order by Beijing to ban its tourism agencies from selling

March 22, 2017

[Travel Bits] Festivals in Korea this week

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservations are required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 groups can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. Visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, Japanese and Mandari

March 17, 2017

[Weekender] Travel bits

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservations are required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. Visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, Japanese and Mandarin

March 10, 2017

[Weekender] Walk across a land frozen in time

CHEORWON, Gangwon Province -- Venturing deep inside the remote county of Cheorwon, Gangwon Province, one finds the village of Gimhwa-eup, just a stone’s throw away from the inter-Korean border.Here lies the Demilitarized Zone, a no man’s land set as a buffer zone between the Koreas on July 27, 1953 when the US, representing the United Nations Command, and North Korea reached an armistice agreement that brought a truce to the Korean Peninsula.Nearly 64 years on, the DMZ remains uninhabited, save

March 3, 2017

Hitting the road less traveled for unique rewards

Shim Soo-jin didn’t like heavy topics, but when she saw the images of the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in Ukraine through a television documentary, she was “hooked.” The ravaged, desolate building and its surroundings were so mind-boggling that she decided to tour the place while she was a university student. Having visited the place three times since 2015, she has filmed one of her trips and talked about her experiences on radio and at seminars. “I felt so many things there, sadness, happiness

March 3, 2017

[Weekender] Travel bits

Yangpyeong Strawberry FestivalThe Yangpyeong Strawberry Festival is being held through the end of May. Visitors can pick their own strawberries at the strawberry farms and participate in a variety of activities and programs in the village. Reservation is required.Exclusive events for bloggers are on offer at blog.naver.com/yp_nadri. Up to 50 teams can participate. The festival is open to visitors of all ages. For more information, visit www.yp21.net for information provided in Korean, English, J

March 3, 2017