The Korea Herald

Hotels.com offers 10 percent off bookings made with Android apps

The online accommodation booking website Hotels.com is offering a 10 percent discount on bookings made on Android mobile applications. The discount offer is available until Dec. 31. Customers must type in the discount code “MOBAND1.” Hotels.com has seen more than 20 million downloads of the mobile applications. The application is available as a free download for iPhone, iPad, Windows Phone, Android and Symbian devices. (wylee@heraldcorp.com)

Oct. 18, 2013

Finnair offers new business class menu

Finnair is offering new menus developed by two well-known Finnish chefs for business class customers as part of its meal upgrade. Finnish chefs Pekka Terava and Tomi Bjorck participated in the revamp of business class menus that became available on the Incheon-Helsinki routes from Oct. 17. “In―flight dining is an important part of a distinctive travel experience,” said Maarit Keranen, Finnair’s head of service. “Pekka Terava’s classic Nordic flavors are a natural fit with Finnair’s identity, whi

Oct. 18, 2013

EU revives airline carbon tax proposal

BRUSSELS (AFP) ― The European Union’s executive branch on Wednesday proposed taxing airlines for emissions made while crossing European airspace, revising a controversial plan the EU had to back down from last year.Under the new European Commission proposal, airlines using EU airspace could be subject to a tax for air-polluting carbon emissions on the portion of a flight that crosses the European Economic Area.The new proposal is an amended version of the EU’s ill-fated CO2 Emissions Trading Sch

Oct. 18, 2013

Germany sees surge in Asian travelers

Asian travelers have contributed significantly to the increase in foreign overnight visitors in Germany with a rise of 3.4 percent in July, according to a German National Tourist Office tourism report. From January to July, the number of nights spent by Asian travelers increased by 2.3 percent with Chinese tourists taking up the largest share of the increase at 10 percent, followed by Koreans at 6.8 percent. Germany has seen an overall 3.4 percent increase in foreigners’ overnight stays over the

Oct. 18, 2013

KTO to hold charity bike ride along the Han River

The Korea Tourism Organization will hold a charity bike ride next week to raise funds and awareness of the issues of orphans and sex-trafficking and to promote a newly opened bike path along the Han River. The KTO bike-a-thon festival will invite cyclists to the two-day event held from Oct. 26-27 along the Han River Ara Canal to participate in a 16-kilometer, 40-kilometer or 80-kilometer bike ride. The festival will also include entertainment activities such as water sports, a K-pop concert and

Oct. 17, 2013

KTO to hold charity bike ride along the Han River

Through salt and mud, Cittaslow Jeungdo boasts beauty

This is the 10th installment in an 11-part series that introduces some of the best walking trails in Korea. Based on each trail’s popularity and the recommendations of travel experts and the Culture Ministry, The Korea Herald selected the 10 best places for walking and hiking. The series received funding from the Korea Press Foundation. ― Ed.JEUNGDO, South Jeolla Province ― The first city in Asia to ever receive the “Slow City” title as part of the Cittaslow movement, the small island of Jeungdo

Oct. 16, 2013

Through salt and mud, Cittaslow Jeungdo boasts beauty

Expedia offers up to 65 percent discount on hotels

Online travel booking site Expedia offers discounts of up to 65 percent on hotels worldwide. The promotion targets travelers preparing for fall trips or year-end trips and offers discounts on accommodations at major hotels in 36 countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe and North America. Some of the best deals in Asia include Ramayana Resort and Spa in Indonesia (65 percent off); Hotel Kuva Chateau in Taipei (55 percent off); and Royal Plaza on Scotts in Singapore (25 percent off). In Europe, Spain’s n

Oct. 11, 2013

Conrad Seoul named Best City Hotel in Seoul

Conrad Seoul has been named the “Best City Hotel in Seoul” by the annual TTG Travel Awards for 2013, as well as the “2013 Best New Hotel in Asia-Pacific region” by the online travel magazine DestinAsian. The TTG Travel Awards is a prestigious annual event recognizing the best of Asia-Pacific’s travel industry since 1989. “As we mark our first anniversary this November, it is an honor for Conrad Seoul to be selected as the Best City Hotel in Seoul and the Best New Hotel in the Asia-Pacific region

Oct. 11, 2013

Page, Arizona is the gateway to photographers’ dreams

Monument Valley is great place for a photographer to look up. Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend, 125 miles to the west, are great places to look down.The canyon and the bend ― a narrow slot canyon and a deep, broad stretch of the Colorado River ― are at the edge of Page, Arizona, a tourist town that serves as a jumping-off point for houseboats and watersports at Lake Powell.To visit Horseshoe Bend, where the deep green Colorado River suddenly turns 270 degrees at the bottom of a big red gorge,

Oct. 11, 2013

Page, Arizona is the gateway to photographers’ dreams

In Vegas, eye in the sky guards money, not guests

LAS VEGAS (AP) ― Hotel maid Brandi Patrick was chased down the hallway at the Flamingo casino last year by a nearly naked man. She said she had to lock herself in a cleaning closet and, as the man rattled the handle, fumble around in her pockets to find her cell phone so she could call security.She said she’s haunted by the thought of what might have happened if she hadn’t had her phone. “Something could happen and no one would know it ’till the end of the shift,” she said.Las Vegas casinos ― so

Oct. 11, 2013

In Vegas, eye in the sky guards money, not guests

Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has big plans for little Lanai

LANAI, Hawaii ― From the wheel of the big four-wheel-drive Suburban, our guide nods at a small roadside sign pointing to a beach called Lapaiki. “That’s one of those dotted-line roads on the map,” he says. “If you go down there you might as well be driving up and down flights of stairs.”In other words, roads can get rough on Lanai.As it is, navigating the deeply grooved road we’re on, leading through ironwood-crowded Kanepuu Preserve to a rocky landmark known as the Garden of the Gods, is a bit

Oct. 4, 2013

Oracle billionaire Larry Ellison has big plans for little Lanai

Korean travelers flock to cheap destinations

Hotels.com, a worldwide hotel booking website, recently released the Hotel Price Index that revealed that the top two favorite destinations for Korean travelers were Osaka and Tokyo. Hong Kong, which took the No. 1 spot last year slid to third place, followed closely by Bangkok and Singapore. The main reason for the influx of Korean visitors to Japan was due to the devaluation of the yen, leading to cheaper travel expenses for holders of the Korean won. In contrast, the number of Japanese inboun

Oct. 4, 2013

KORAIL promotes business tourism in Korea

KORAIL is offering a special promotion for foreigners participating in international events such as meetings, conventions and exhibitions. More than 90 international conferences and events are planned until the end of the year, with an estimated 80,000 participants, 10,000 being foreigners. Through this promotion, business travelers are offered discounts on transportation. Those who are eligible should send in an application seven days before the day of the event to a KORAIL travel center to rec

Oct. 4, 2013

No nose-picking: China chides its ‘unruly’ tourists

BEIJING (AFP) ― Chinese tourists should not pick their noses in public, pee in pools or steal airplane life jackets, China’s image-conscious authorities have warned in a handbook in their latest effort to counter unruly behavior.The National Tourism Administration publicised its 64-page Guidebook for Civilised Tourism ― with illustrations to accompany its list of dos and don’ts ― on its website ahead of a “Golden Week” public holiday that started on Oct. 1. As Chinese tourists increasingly trave

Oct. 4, 2013

No nose-picking: China chides its ‘unruly’ tourists

Airlines promise a return to civility, for a fee

NEW YORK (AP) ― Airlines are introducing a new bevy of fees, but this time passengers might actually like them.Extra legroom, early boarding and access to quiet lounges were just the beginning. Airlines are now renting Apple iPads preloaded with movies, selling hot first class meals in coach and letting passengers pay to have an empty seat next to them. Once on the ground, they can skip baggage claim, having their luggage delivered directly to their home or office.In the near future, airlines pl

Oct. 2, 2013

[Photo News] Contribution to Korean tourism

Sept. 27, 2013

Experience the southern coast with ease on the S-train

From blue seas, lush mountain ranges and vast green landscapes to popular getaways such as Busan, Yeosu and Boseong, Korea’s southern coast boasts some of the most scenic views and must-visit destinations in the country. The state-run Korea Railroad Corporation has made getting there not only easier, but more comfortable on its new “S-train,” the latest addition to its line of trains geared to tourism and sightseeing. Following KORAIL’s widely popular “V-train” and “O-train” launched in April in

Sept. 27, 2013

Experience the southern coast with ease on the S-train

Easier access to DMZ tours for foreigners

The Korea Tourism Organization announced the start of a foreigner-only DMZ Tour Bus on Wednesday that will allow individual tourists access to the border area. Previously, because of the complicated procedures associated with going to the DMZ, only larger groups were able to go on tours. There will be guides that speak English, Chinese and Japanese to offer guidance and assistance to tourists. Buses will leave every day at 8 a.m. from in front of the Korea Tourism Organization headquarters. The

Sept. 27, 2013

Enjoy private dinner by the beach in Koh Samui

Four Seasons Resort in Koh Samui, Thailand, is offering a special Blue Moon Dinner Package for couples wanting to indulge in a private beach-side dinner. Only one couple will be chosen per night to enjoy an exclusive four-course menu prepared by chef Alex Gares that will include a Thai or Western option with complementing wines. Couples will be able to complete the romantic night by releasing a “Khom Loy” traditional paper lantern into the night sky. The price for the private candlelit dinner ru

Sept. 27, 2013

‘Tourism will continue to grow in Korea’

Korea will continue to see an influx of visitors in the coming years as it plays host to major upcoming sporting events ― namely the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon and 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang as well as the 2020 Olympics in neighboring Tokyo ― on top of the constant tourist arrivals from other Asian countries, according to Paul Wright, general manager of Hyatt Regency Incheon. “It should be an exciting time. … Korea is going to benefit with Tokyo holding the Olympics because more people

Sept. 27, 2013

‘Tourism will continue to grow in Korea’