[HanCinema's Digest] Travel Bug Bites

Learn more about Korea's new themed travel packages, a record number of tourists visited Korea in 2016, discover what festivals made Korea's "premier festival" list, and Forbes lists Korea as one of their top money-saving destinations.

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"Culture Ministry recommends themed travel outside of Seoul"

There's a new initiative by Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism that launches this year: now you'll be able to find destination recommendations by theme! These include, for example, "Peace and National Security", "Road to Pyeongchang", "Time Travel", "Islands and Wind" and "Sunrise and History". 2016 saw a record number of tourists visit the Land of the Morning Calm (as you'll see below), and with these new initiatives, those figures are expected to continue to rise.

...READ ON THE KOREA HERALD

"A record 17 million visitors welcomed to Korea this year"

As mentioned above, Korea saw a record number of foreign visitors in 2016: 17 million people visited the country last year, a strong bounce back from 2016 where MERS kept many away. South Korea hit 10 million visitors back in 2012 and that figure has been steadily rising ever since. "For Korea's tourism to take a leap forward, the government and the tourism industry must work together to develop tourism content in addition to improving the quality of the tourism industry", said a representative from Korea's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MCST). Will you be visiting Korea this year?

...READ ON SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST

"Korea's Most Representative Festivals in 2017"

If you're planning a trip to South Korea this year you're not going to want to miss out on these flagship festivals. Recently, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism listed Gimje Horizon Festival, Mungyeong Traditional Chasabal Festival and the Hwacheon Sancheoneo Ice Festival as their "premier" festivals for the year-i.e., events you really don't want to miss out on. There are, of course, plenty of other exciting festivals to enjoy, too...

...READ ON VISIT KOREA

"The 21 Best Budget Travel Destinations For 2017"

Looking for a budget friendly place to visit this year? According to Forbes, South Korea is a serious contender for your time and money: "Seoul is a fascinating metropolis filled with high-tech infrastructure, modern skyscrapers, historic buildings, a large expat scene and delicious Korean food all at rock bottom prices", writes Alexandra Talty, a Forbes contributor.

...READ ON FORBES