Travel And Tour World: What is the main objective to be the partner country for FITUR this year?
Sunghee Joo: This is the 70th year of the first diplomatic relation between South Korea and Spain. Both the countries have designated this year and next year as a Spain -Korea mutual visit year and to be the host country of FITUR is the first project of the year.
Travel And Tour World: What will be the activities held throughout the year?
Sunghee Joo: We will have a big Korean wave event in Barcelona, there will be BTS concert in Barcelona this year July where we will promote Korea as a tourist destination and the Korean Tourism products in the Spanish market this year and next year.
Travel And Tour World: Tell us the statistics for tourists coming from Europe to Korea? Which are the main countries from where tourists are coming?
Sunghee Joo: UK, France , Germany and Spain are the main market.
Travel And Tour World: How much is the total inbound tourist from Europe throughout the year?
Sunghee Joo: Around one million .
Travel And Tour World: Why you chose Spain as a country to promote Korea?
Sunghee Joo: As I told you 2020 is the 70th year of relation between Spain and Korea that is why we started to do the marketing in Spain.
Travel And Tour World: Which are the main places of Korea you wish to promote?
Sunghee Joo: Seoul, Busan and Jeju
Travel And Tour World: Tell us about the MICE events in the countries and what are the reservation for 2020?
Sunghee Joo: There are many MICE opportunities in Korea, Seoul and Busan , we have many convention centres all over Korea. We host unique events and have the capacity of accommodating 20,000 people which is the biggest group.
Travel And Tour World: Besides Seoul which is the main big city for hosting the MICE events and which are the new destination you wish to add?
Sunghee Joo: We wish to promote Kintex which is very near to Seoul and we have hosted a lot of events there.
Travel And Tour World: What is your expectations as the partner country for Fitur?
Sunghee Joo: We want to promote Korea as a tourist destination in Spain, in recent years the growth rate of Spanish visitors to Korea is more than 10% and we expect by 2025 the Spanish visitors to Korea would be more than 70,000.
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