The German National Tourist Office announced that next year it will shine a spotlight on German Renaissance painter Lucas Cranach the Younger as the year 2015 marks the 500th anniversary of his birth. Germany is one of the most-visited cultural destinations for European tourists. The celebration of the Renaissance painter will present portraits of religious reformers including Martin Luther, Katherine Von Bora and Philip Melancthon.(wylee@heraldcorp.com)

Nov. 21, 2014

JetBlue will add bag fees and squeeze seats a bit closer together as it tries to boost profit.The airline said that it will create three ticket classes beginning in the first half of 2015, and only the top two will include at least one free checked bag.Other big airlines have added fees for checked bags since 2008, when they needed to cover rising fuel costs. In the first six months of this year, U.S. airlines raised $1.7 billion from bag fees. JetBlue’s decision will leave Southwest as the only

Nov. 21, 2014

South Jeolla Province will offer gift vouchers and accommodation in a five-star hotel for travelers who visit the province’s tourist attractions and spend more than one night in the province. Interested tourists should collect a stamp from each destination, take a photo and upload it onto www.namdokorea.com with reviews. The event runs from Dec. 1 to Feb. 1, 2015. The province will also operate a shuttle bus for travelers that stops at tourist spots, including Suncheonman Bay, historical spots a

Nov. 21, 2014

New York (AP) ― New York City’s tourism agency wants to lure visitors between January and March by reminding them that there are great deals on theater tickets, restaurants and hotels.NYC & Co. President Fred Dixon says winter is “an ideal time to experience New York City at a more affordable price.”Promotions include Restaurant Week from Feb. 16 to March 6. A three-course dinner at participating restaurants will be $38 plus drinks, tax and tip.Tickets will be two-for-one during Broadway Week fr

Nov. 14, 2014

Saint-Tropez, a popular luxury vacation destination for Hollywood celebrities, hopes to see more Asian tourists following a promotional event in Seoul on Tuesday. The world-popular high-end vacation town with a population of just 5,000 draws more than 6 million tourists from 85 countries around the world each year. It became popular after French actress Brigitte Bardot acted in a movie there in the 1950s. The vacation spot for Western tourists expects to attract more Korean tourists as direct fl

Nov. 14, 2014

Lotte Water Park in Gimhae, South Gyeongsang Province, is offering an 80,000 won spa package, which includes 10 admission tickets to the water park and half-price discount coupons on life vest rentals. With the tickets, visitors have access to the jjimjilbang, a Korean-style public sauna with various facilities designed according to different themes. The jjimjilbang is one of the largest in the country with an area of 3,140 square meters. It can accommodate about 1,000 people. The water park als

Nov. 7, 2014

The three biggest safety concerns for foreign tourists traveling to Korea were pickpockets, the North Korean threat and car accidents, according to a recent survey of foreign tourists by the Korea Tourism Organization.Thirty-five percent of 704 foreign respondents said they were concerned about pickpocketing, 17 percent said they were worried about the North Korean threat and another 17 percent said they were concerned about accidents involving public transportation. The answers were given befor

Nov. 7, 2014

Grand InterContinental Seoul Parnas and InterContinental Seoul Coex have both acquired EarthCheck Gold status, a global environmental certification. The hotel said that it was the first to obtain the Gold Level in Korea. The certificate is managed by the global environmental advisory EC3 Global. The hotel has been making conservation efforts since 1989, working to reduce waste, set energy conservation goals and encourage guests to participate in its efforts. All food waste from the hotels is sen

Oct. 31, 2014

Accor Ambassador Hotel Management has opened a new budget hotel in Dongdaemun, close to downtown attractions. The Ibis Budget Ambassador Seoul Dongdaemun is located in the bustling district of Dongdaemun, within walking distance of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and various shopping malls. The hotel has 195 twin, double and triple rooms. It offers free access to Wi-Fi in the lobby and guest rooms. The hotel is equipped with a sauna and a fitness club and has an all-you-can-eat buffet. Located close

Oct. 31, 2014

HAGATNA, Guam (AP) ― United Airlines has launched daily direct flights between South Korea and Guam for the first time, serving a market that helped boost Guam’s tourism industry when the number of visitors from Japan declined. “As Guam’s hometown airline, we are delighted to bring additional economic benefits to our tourism industry and further expand the extensive route network from our Guam hub,” said Sam Shinohara, United’s managing director for business development in the Asia-Pacific.Unite

Oct. 31, 2014

South Korea reaped a record income from tourism in September, assisted by a solid increase in Chinese tourists, data showed Thursday.Tourism income reached US$1.76 billion last month, breaking the $1.7 billion mark for the first time. The total marks a 35-percent jump from the previous year, according to the data by the central bank and the Korea Culture and Tourism Institute.The record figure was largely credited to an increase in travelers from China. Some 564,078 Chinese tourists visited the

Oct. 30, 2014