Dynamic Korea Attracting More Visitors
| Korea’s Ministry of Culture and Tourism estimates 5.4 million travelers will visit South Korea in 2003 to attend international conventions and business meetings and to enjoy the country’s wealth of attractions. |
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Minister of Tourism
Lee Chang Dong
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isitors interested in experiencing Korean cuisine can sample kimchi and other traditional favorites, music lovers can try their hand at playing traditional Korean musical instruments, and shoppers can seek out exquisite lacquer ware, embroidery and much more. The country lives up to the slogan “Dynamic Korea.”
As Lee Chang Dong, Minister of Culture and Tourism, points out, “I am sure that Korea will become the core tourist destination connecting Japan, North Korea, China, Russia and also Europe by linking the trans-Korea, trans-Siberia and trans-China railroads. We are promoting Korea as one of the safest countries in the world, and planning various promotional activities and product development in cooperation with Japan and China.”
Visitors to Seoul will discover that this colorful city on the Hangang River is an exciting blend of old and new. With thousands of years of history, it has well-preserved royal palaces and cultural treasures, along with state-of-the-art facilities and infrastructure.
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| Beyond Seoul, the country offers spectacular scenery and dynamic cities, each with its own special character, as well as seven UNESCO World Heritage sites. Throughout the year, well-attended festivals showcase Korean culture, and American travelers will enjoy traditional Korean hospitality. Dong adds that links between Korea and America have always been strong; this year marks the 100th anniversary of Korean emigration to the US. |
Grand Hilton Seoul
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he five-star Grand Hilton Seoul, the city’s first integrated accommodation and mee-tings complex, features a convention center that can handle up to 2,500 guests, as well as the Hilton Hotel Residence, which offers 105 luxurious serviced apartments.
As General Manager Sven Isberg explains, “The Grand Hilton is the ideal location for business travelers and convention participants seeking a professional yet comfortable environment.” In its focus on conventions, the Grand Hilton complements the Hilton group’s original hotel property in Seoul.
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“The ideal location for business travelers.”
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The Grand Hilton’s superb convention services include a range of adaptable function rooms, a shopping center and a 1,000-car parking garage. Residents in the Hilton Hotel Residence as well as hotel guests have access to the Grand Hilton’s recreational facilities, which include an 80-foot indoor swimming pool, fully equipped fitness center, sauna and jogging track. The Grand Hilton also includes nine outstanding dining and beverage outlets.
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Sven Isberg
General Manager
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Explaining the Grand Hilton’s great appeal, Isberg says, “Apart from the excellent facilities, the setting of the property is important: we are in a fairly quiet area surrounded by greenery, only 15 minutes from downtown Seoul and 30 minutes from the international airport. In addition, we invest a lot in our staff, as they are an extremely important asset.”
Isberg concludes, “I’m very confident that the Grand Hilton will be very successful, as there is almost no property in the local hospitality market that comes even close to the Grand Hilton in terms of convention services.” |
Grand Hyatt Seoul
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he Grand Hyatt Seoul, located on 70 beautifully landscaped acres in the heart of the city, has been named Seoul’s best business hotel by Business Traveler Magazine, the Asian Wall Street Journal, and Euromoney magazine. It was named among the world’s top 70 hotels – the highest ranking of any hotel in Korea – in Institutional Magazine’s 22nd annual “World’s Best Hotel Survey.”
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“This is a five-star city resort hotel.”
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As General Manager Peter Walshaw explains, “The Grand Hyatt has an excellent reputation. Because of its location in the heart of Seoul, the hotel is the preferred choice for both business and leisure travelers.”
The hotel contains 602 guest rooms and suites, each with beautiful views, a mini-bar, high-speed Internet access, satellite television and other amenities. The Grand Club rooms provide guests with superior accommodation on restricted-access floors and offer personalized concierge services, breakfast and cocktails, and the Club Lounge.
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Peter Walshaw
General Manager
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For executives, the hotel includes a professionally staffed business center, Internet and secretarial services, and even a special concierge who deals with technology requirements. Walshaw says, “We also offer extensive meeting facilities. We cater from boardroom to ballroom for up to 1,000 people. All function rooms, including the Grand Ballroom, offer high-speed Internet access and state-of-the-art satellite and presentation technology.”
Guests can unwind at the hotel’s Club Olympus recreation complex with its Olympic-sized outdoor pool (transformed into an ice-skating rink in winter), a separate children’s pool and playground, three tennis courts, two squash courts, a jogging track and a fully equipped fitness center.
Explaining the Grand Hyatt’s popularity, Walshaw says, “The Grand Hyatt has an excellent staff, spacious grounds, and world-class recreational facilities. This is a five-star city resort hotel. And we are very safe and secure.” |
| Seoul Hilton |
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he Seoul Hilton enjoys an excellent reputation as the premier hotel for business and leisure travelers. It contains just over 680 rooms and includes six executive floors and two executive lounges, as well as a fully equipped business center.
Timothy E. Soper, General Manager, says, “We offer extensive facilities for business meetings, a convention center for 3,000 people, a ballroom for 700, and nine function rooms for smaller meetings. The Convention Center at the Seoul Hilton is one of the largest of its kind in Asia. Exclusively private access is provided for VIPs and heads of state. Facilities include state-of-the-art equipment such as computerized lighting systems, simultaneous interpretation booths for up to eight languages, and a range of audiovisual equipment.”
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“You will find new standards of luxury in each room.”
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A 60-foot swimming pool, sun deck, golf driving range and putting green, gym and sauna help guests relax. The hotel’s seven restaurants include Seasons for French cuisine, Genji Japanese restaurant, Il Ponte for Italian specialties, a Chinese restaurant, and a restaurant featuring Californian cuisine. Entertainment options include the Palm Court lobby bar, one of the city’s top meeting places, and the Areno sports bar and nightclub.
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Timothy E. Soper General Manager
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Explaining the Seoul Hilton’s enduring popularity, Soper says, “We are located in the heart of Seoul’s business and entertainment districts, and we pay attention to the individual needs of our guests. We are a home-away-from-home for today’s corporate traveler.”
Special touches include spectacular views, a magnificent lobby featuring the Henry Moore sculpture Reclining Woman, and luxurious facilities completed in a recent US $50 million renovation. “You will find new standards of luxury in every room,” Soper concludes.
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| Tower Hotel |
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he five-star, 218-room Tower Hotel is ideally located in the heart of Seoul at the foot of Mount Namsan and surrounded by Namsan Park. As Managing Director Jin-Dong Park says, “The beautiful scenery around the hotel creates a relaxing atmosphere, and guests can go jogging in the park. The hotel is like an oasis in the middle of this busy city.”
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“This hotel is an oasis in the middle of this busy city.”
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This locally owned property offers authentic atmosphere as well as world-class facilities. Guests can enjoy the hotel’s driving range, tennis courts, fitness center, swimming pool and sauna. In addition, the Tower Hotel includes four restaurants, a coffee shop, bar, Chinese and Korean restaurant and conference facilities that can accommodate up to 450 people. The hotel has separate buildings for individual travelers and groups.
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Jin-Dong Park Managing Director
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The Tower Hotel works with local corporations and embassies, and also offers online reservations through its website. “We are targeting the international corporate traveler,” Park explains. Noting what sets the Tower Hotel apart from its competitors, he explains, “We are located in the heart of Seoul but surrounded by a very green area. The atmosphere is relaxed and quiet, just what people need after work. The location is also easy to reach. In addition, this hotel is considered to be very safe.”
Park points out that his committed staff, most of whom have been with the hotel since it opened, are another reason the Tower Hotel has a high percentage of repeat visitors. He concludes, “Our staff knows our clientele and knows their individual needs.” |
| Fraser Suites Serviced Residences |
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or business travelers seeking home-away-from-home comfort with hotel amenities, the new Fraser Suites Serviced Residence is a top choice. The 23-floor hotel opened in April 2002 in historic Insa-dong, Seoul’s prestigious art and culture district, and contains 213 fully furnished luxury suites ranging from one to four bedrooms, as well as spacious penthouses. As Liew Kui Fah, General Manager, says, “The serviced residence industry is a major trend in Korea these days, attracting the attention of foreign visitors as well as investors. We take special pride in being the leader in the Korean extended-stay industry.”
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“We are the pioneer and leader in the Korean extended-stay industry.”
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Fraser Suites distinguishes itself from the competition not only by providing luxury and the comforts of home, but also through its lifestyle packages geared to executives traveling with their families. As Liew explains, “In the hospitality industry, the needs of customers reflect a change from a “place to stay” to a “lifetime experience.” Serviced apartments are perfect for expatriates, business and leisure travelers, and their loved ones.”
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Liew Kui Fah
General Manager
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Fraser Suites regularly hosts special family-oriented activities for its residents, including Korean language and Korean cooking classes, special meals like a recent Lunar New Year brunch featuring Korean delicacies, and excursions such as series of fabulous ski trips organized in the winter season this year.
Along with superior services, Fraser Suites offers a number of top class amenities that include a rooftop driving range, indoor heated swimming pool, state-of-the-art fitness club, sauna, library, residents’ lounge, and free shuttle service. Every apartment has a safe, two phone lines, broadband Internet access, a DVD/VCR/CD player, washing machine and dryer, fully equipped kitchen, and central heating and air-conditioning. The complex already has an 80% occupancy rate and continuously attracts executives and diplomats. From the heart of Korea’s cultural mecca, Fraser Suites invites US travelers to experience its perfect blend of Asian allure and home-styled comfort. |
| Avis Rent a Car |
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vis has seen rapid growth in South Korea since CEO and President Tae Hoon Yoon took over the franchise in 1994. The company now has a total of 6,500 vehicles, and recently signed an 11-year contract with Avis to be its exclusive South Korean licensee.
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“We will stay on the cutting edge.”
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Yoon explains that contracts with corporate clients make up around 70% of the company’s business in South Korea, since businesses operating in the country are attracted to the significant financial advantages of leasing vehicles long-term. The company is also seeing an increase in rentals by individual travelers, particularly because Seoul is beginning to host more and more international conferences.
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Tae Hoon Yoon CEO and President
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Avis has 53 offices in South Korea, and maintains its own sales and marketing team as well as its own maintenance and service company. It employs a staff of around 200 people and offers an up-to-date fleet of around nine different types of cars. Under South Korean law, car rental companies are not allowed to employ their own chauffeurs, but Avis has a partnership with a local chauffeur company to provide cars with drivers on request.
In the future, Yoon is confident that Avis South Korea will become the top Avis operation in Asia in the next three to four years. He says, “We will find new business and stay on the cutting edge. In three years I will have one or two other businesses up and running. South Korea is becoming more and more international, and businesses here have an excellent future.”
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| Business Travel International (BTI) |
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usiness Travel International (BTI) is the world’s leading travel management company, operating in over 80 countries. With substantial global capabilities and specialist local expertise, BTI is the acknowledged expert in the delivery of corporate travel solutions, worldwide.
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“We are the best corporate travel agency in South Korea.”
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BTI Korea is one of the most successful BTI partners, and the largest full service corporate travel agency in Korea, providing travel services to over 100 multinational companies. It works with foreign multinationals, including Citigroup, Pfizer, Deloitte & Touche, Dow Chemical and Hewlett-Packard. “About 60% of our clients are US-based companies, and another 20% are from Europe,” explains Kay Song, President.
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Kay Song
President
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Song says that her service-minded staff are dedicated to building long-term relationships.
“We want to be seen as the best agency that you can trust and depend on for all your travel needs,” she says. “ Let us be your travel secretary!”
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Grand Hilton Seoul (back)
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201-1 Hongeun-dong
Seodaemun-gu - Seoul Korea
Tel.: +82 2-785-4340
Fax: +82 2-785-4319
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Tower Hotel (back)
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5-5 San, 2KA, ChangChung Dong
100-392 - Seoul Korea
Tel.: +82 2-2236-2121
Fax: +82 2-2235-0276
www.towerhotel.co.kr
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