ID :
79883
Mon, 09/14/2009 - 17:39
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/79883
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea's tourism has potential to fuel economy: tourism chief
By Lee Youkyung
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's tourism industry has lagged behind its overseas peers despite its potential to contribute to the country's economic growth, the head of the Korea tourism promotion agency said Monday.
Lee Charm, the president of the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO), said
that general public understanding about tourism and its impact on the economy
needs to be updated.
"The tourism sector in Korea is as important as the information technology
industry," Lee said during his first official briefing here.
South Korea's tourism accounts for a mere 7.6 percent of the nation's gross
domestic product (GDP), the lowest among developed economies. He said such low
numbers underpin the need for a concerted buildup of related infrastructure and
investment.
The German-born naturalized Korean citizen said that just as the country's
information technology (IT) sector received a boost through concerted support in
the past, there is a need to establish a specialized fund and create laws that
can promote tourism.
Such support for the IT sector carried out in the late 90s helped the country
become a global leader in this cutting edge business field.
The KNTO head said that despite the global economic slump, North Korea's nuclear
crisis and the spread of the new type-A flu virus, South Korea still attracted
more than 5 million tourists since January, nearly 70 percent of this year's
annual goal.
He pointed out that the nation can offer visitors unique experiences that are not
found anywhere else in the world, which can help the country's tourism industry
in the coming years.
"Foreign people have a notion that they have to visit the U.S., France, or China
at least once in their lifetime," he said. "We will develop the same idea about
Korea."
Lee, who received considerable publicity for becoming the first foreign-born head
to lead a state-run organization, meanwhile expressed regrets that the new
influenza scare has resulted in the cancellation of many local festivals.
"South Korea was the only country that moved to call off local festivals due to
the new influenza," Lee said, claiming that such actions have wreaked havoc on
the local economy.
"This is a testimony to the public perception that tourism is not important," he
said, adding that many festival organizers did not notify the KNTO in advance of
their decisions.
The appointment of Lee, whose former name was Bernhard Quandt, has been seen as a
sign that Seoul wants to open its doors to qualified people, regardless of
nationality or place of birth. South Korea, one of the most ethnically
homogeneous countries, has been reluctant to open its doors in the public sector
to outsiders.
ylee@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Sept. 14 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's tourism industry has lagged behind its overseas peers despite its potential to contribute to the country's economic growth, the head of the Korea tourism promotion agency said Monday.
Lee Charm, the president of the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO), said
that general public understanding about tourism and its impact on the economy
needs to be updated.
"The tourism sector in Korea is as important as the information technology
industry," Lee said during his first official briefing here.
South Korea's tourism accounts for a mere 7.6 percent of the nation's gross
domestic product (GDP), the lowest among developed economies. He said such low
numbers underpin the need for a concerted buildup of related infrastructure and
investment.
The German-born naturalized Korean citizen said that just as the country's
information technology (IT) sector received a boost through concerted support in
the past, there is a need to establish a specialized fund and create laws that
can promote tourism.
Such support for the IT sector carried out in the late 90s helped the country
become a global leader in this cutting edge business field.
The KNTO head said that despite the global economic slump, North Korea's nuclear
crisis and the spread of the new type-A flu virus, South Korea still attracted
more than 5 million tourists since January, nearly 70 percent of this year's
annual goal.
He pointed out that the nation can offer visitors unique experiences that are not
found anywhere else in the world, which can help the country's tourism industry
in the coming years.
"Foreign people have a notion that they have to visit the U.S., France, or China
at least once in their lifetime," he said. "We will develop the same idea about
Korea."
Lee, who received considerable publicity for becoming the first foreign-born head
to lead a state-run organization, meanwhile expressed regrets that the new
influenza scare has resulted in the cancellation of many local festivals.
"South Korea was the only country that moved to call off local festivals due to
the new influenza," Lee said, claiming that such actions have wreaked havoc on
the local economy.
"This is a testimony to the public perception that tourism is not important," he
said, adding that many festival organizers did not notify the KNTO in advance of
their decisions.
The appointment of Lee, whose former name was Bernhard Quandt, has been seen as a
sign that Seoul wants to open its doors to qualified people, regardless of
nationality or place of birth. South Korea, one of the most ethnically
homogeneous countries, has been reluctant to open its doors in the public sector
to outsiders.
ylee@yna.co.kr
(END)
