Seoul city tour bus goes classic


Tour Seoul on the classic trolleybus: The trolleybus, long beloved in global cities like New York, San Francisco, Chicago and Singapore, became available in Seoul starting Thursday. The buses are designed to look like classic vintage trolleybuses and aim to provide a fun way to tour Seoul. Encompassing key tourist sites, the “Panorama Course” will depart from Gwanghwamun and run through Cheonggye Plaza, Myeong-dong, Mount Namsan, the 63 Building, Hongdae, Sinchon and return to Gwanghwamun. Prices are 15,000 won per adult and 10,000 per child. Digital tour guides will be available in Korean, English, Chinese, Japanese and other languages. The buses are to run alternately alongside the existing double-deck Seoul City Tour Buses, reducing the intervals between buses from one hour to 30 minutes. For more information, call (02) 777-6090 or visit en.seoulcitybus.com.

Russia to resume space tourism


Russia officials say they will resume space tourism in 2018 after years of sending into space only professional cosmonauts and astronauts.

Russia had sent seven paying guests to the International Space Station since 2001 before curtailing the program in 2009. Sending a tourist has been all but impossible since 2011 when the United States shut down its Space Shuttle program and had to rely on Russian Soyuz rockets in order to get into orbit.

Russia, however, has made an exception for British soprano Sarah Brightman who is due to blast off on Sept. 1.

RKK Energia, a state-controlled rocket manufacturer, said in a quarterly report released Tuesday that it plans to make up for an expected drop in demand for manned flights by resuming space tourism in 2018. (AP)

Goyang International Flower Show


The annual international flower show will be held in Goyang from April 24-May 10. This year’s event will take place at the Goyang Flower Exhibition Center, located in Ilsan Lake Park.

It brings together 320 horticulture businesses and experts from 35 countries to present diverse flower collections and decorations.

The event will also feature hands-on programs for visitors such as flower arrangement classes, making home dcor items using flowers.

Admission is 10,000 won for adults. Online tickets with a 20 percent discount are available for purchase at www.flower.or.kr, or online shopping malls G Market and Auction.

Gokseong International Rose Festival


Themed with “fragrance, love and dream,” the 5th International Rose Festival will be held from May 22-31 in the scenic River Seomjingang village in Gokseong, South Jeolla Province.

The festival will display lavish rose decorations using various kinds of roses from around the world. It will also offer cultural events and hands-on activities such as rose arrangement classes, flower art sessions and a rose photo contest.

Visitors can also enjoy rail bikes, steam locomotive that tour around the festival venue. For more information, call (061) 360-8252.

Airbnb to sponsor 2016 Olympics


Airbnb announced this week it has become the official “alternative accommodation” sponsor of the 2016 Olympic Games.

Airbnb offers around 20,000 offerings in Rio, which is expected to help the city deal with the influx of some 380,000 foreign visitors from Aug. 5-21 for the Olympic Games.

“We’re ready for the expected 380,000 spectators who are coming to Rio for the Olympic Games, and we’re ready to show them what traditional, authentic Brazilian hospitality looks like,” said Joe Gebbia, cofounder and chief executive officer of Airbnb.

Rio de Janeiro has the fourth largest number of accommodation offers in the world after Paris, New York and London. Airbnb has emerged as one of the popular accommodation options during the global sports event. The Rio branch of Airbnb hosted more than 100,000 guests during the Brazil World Cup last year.