S. Korea aims to break $10 bln mark in tourism revenue in 2010

SEOUL, Jan. 4 (Yonhap) -- South Korea hopes to surpass the US$10 billion mark in
tourism revenue this year, capitalizing on the G-20 summit it will host and the
launch of new low-cost flights, a tourism agency said Monday.
Korea seeks to attract 8.5 million foreign tourists in 2010, the first year of
the triennial "Visit Korea Year" project intended to reverse chronic deficits in
tourism and bolster the service industry, said the Korea Tourism Organization.
"In the new year, Korea will host major international events like the G-20 summit
and will provide expanded flight access to Southeast Asia and Japan, as more
budget carriers open their routes to the region," the government agency said in
its New Year policy blueprint. Seoul will host the gathering of leaders from the
world's 20 major economies in November.
"Still, the outlook of the tourism industry is not entirely bright, as there are
concerns posed by the rebounding Korean currency, the delayed improvement of the
global economy and the lingering H1N1 influenza outbreak around the world," it
noted.
In 2009, Korea drew 7.8 million foreign tourists, up 13 percent from the previous
year, garnering $9.3 billion in revenue from the inbound tourism and ending a
nine-year streak of deficits. More than half of the tourists came from Japan or
China.
hkim@yna.co.kr
(END)