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diver
Joined: 16 Jun 2003
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 Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 1:47 am Post subject: |
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Oddly enough, the rudest place I've been to (in terms of customer service) was Australia - though other people I met there were amazing as well.
Koreans can be pretty pushy (still bothers me), but I don't know if they're being unfriendly about it.
I've taken close to 3,000 people diving while living here, and almost of them have been teachers, military, engineers, or the odd diplomat. I very, very rarely get tourists. I am always surprised when I do meet the odd one that is "just visiting" - this doesn't count friends or family visiting those that live here, I mean people who decided to travel and chose Korea. They just don't seem to do a good job promoting themselves, at least in the English speaking world. It also seems to me that a lot of the advances and momentum gained during the World Cup has dissipated - they didn't really build upon that. I got a sense that the Korean response at the end of the World Cup was "Man...I thought they were never going to leave".
There's a lot of cool things to see and do here - they just have to do a better job of convincing people that it's worth between 10 to 16 hours of flying time to experience it (if they even want that market). |
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saram_
Joined: 13 May 2008
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:24 am Post subject: |
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Korea isn't too much interested in bringing people who are traveling for 16 hours. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to develop that market.. It's unfeasible in a few different ways.
Korean tourism is in a very good place considering it is not as much needed here as it is in other countries. Korea has enough thriving industries. Tourism is expanding in its own very impressive ways and will continue to do so in the foreseeable future.
Korea is getting much larger numbers over from its neighbors in Asia and there are plenty of people in that market for them to focus almost exclusively on.. Medical tourism and the growth in popularity of South Korea as a brand overseas is bringing them here in huge amounts.
I'd say the Korean tourism strategy has been spot on overall... |
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diver
Joined: 16 Jun 2003
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 2:46 am Post subject: |
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| saram_ wrote: |
| Korea isn't too much interested in bringing people who are traveling for 16 hours. There is absolutely no need whatsoever to develop that market.. It's unfeasible in a few different ways. |
Fair enough I guess. Other countries (The Philippines, Thailand etc) do a good job of it. I think Korean can compete with them if they wanted to (they would have to sell different things).
Perhaps they figure there are enough westerners here for other reasons already that are going to spend money while here that they don't need to bring more. And of course, their neighbors are much closer. However, with the way the F1 is going, and an Olympics coming up - even if the Koreans don't want to bring people here from far overseas, they have to at least PRETEND they want to.
I wonder if they couldn't do more to at least keep transit passengers here for a few days? Maybe Incheon Airport is TOO awesome. Passengers don't want to leave 
It is a pretty easy country to get around in (except Korail seems to be going backwards recently), so I am surprised by the number eight ranking. |
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 6:23 am Post subject: |
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| ************* |
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Mix1
Joined: 08 May 2007
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| Posted: Wed Mar 20, 2013 9:30 am Post subject: Re: South Korea Ties for Most Unfriendliest Country for Tour |
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| Burndog wrote: |
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| JondoTourists are the best judges of a society since they are new to the norms. So I agree. It doesn't come as any surprise to me that both Koreans and Chinese are considered most unfriendly. Unfriendly means, rude, bad tempered, ill mannered, self conceited, hostile, in your face, offensive, insulting for no reason (ie. smirking and cursing you behind your back for speaking English in a normal tone to your friend as you pass by them) and inconsiderate (ie. turning a corner and then coming straight at you from the opposite end of the street when you obviously have the right of way and then making you get out of "your" way for them, barging into you and not apologising, cutting you off at the Van Gogh exhibit when it's your turn to see a painting and then taunting you when you call them on it, grabbing your jacket and pulling you up the subway stairs cos you told them to watch it after they rudely got in your way and then barged into you etc etc) |
Cool story bro...needs more wizards.
Lived in Korea for ofur years...never had anything remotely similar happen. I mean...being dragged up subway stairs by your jacket? Are you five? |
And...how much does he weigh? dragged UP the stairs? lol
But come on, who here hasn't experienced the beloved shoulder slam where they slam right into you (unintentionally or even intentionally) then act like it's completely your fault? As if you're supposed to just completely move while they don't move an inch. That's probably rubbed more than a few tourists the wrong way.
Other things that might impact first impressions of tourists is the language itself, which can often sound pushy or angry in tone (ajosshis/ajummas), the lack of smiles, the lack of basic eye contact on the street, ironically mixed with the odd occasional staring. Not the end of the world, and if you live here you've acclimated to it, but still hardly the best first impression. |
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javis
Joined: 28 Feb 2013
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| Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 2:07 pm Post subject: |
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| So, basically, Koreans are less adept at separating tourists from their money. It doesn't seem like a great loss to me. |
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dairyairy
Joined: 17 May 2012
Location: South Korea
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| Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 4:53 pm Post subject: |
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| javis wrote: |
| So, basically, Koreans are less adept at separating tourists from their money. It doesn't seem like a great loss to me. |
Some of the larger stores and those in certain parts of Seoul understand the money to be made from tourists and tourism, but it's mostly about shopping and very few seem in authority to understand tourism as making money from sightseeing to promote other parts of the economy, such as shows, restaurants, hotels, etc... This takes genuine effort and planning, especially when talking about building access through transportation and demand through marketing. The last two former Mayors of Seoul seemed to "get it", but the current Mayor seems lost in space.
In the USA there have been some great mayors who created tourism buzz throught the nation, and the world, like Donald Schaefer of Baltimore, who created the National Aquarium and the Inner Harbor which became the model around the country for rebuilding inner city areas. Also, another Mayor who built up his city through tourism was Henry Cisnernos who built up San Antonio's tourism following Schaefer's blueprint but also through sprucing up and promoting long-neglected local tourist attractions like The Alamo and the Riverwalk. This is all now "textbook" stuff that every elected official should know. You would think that Korean elected officials would be more proactive in this area, with all of the money to be made from tourism. |
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atwood
Joined: 26 Dec 2009
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| Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 6:47 pm Post subject: |
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| dairyairy wrote: |
| javis wrote: |
| So, basically, Koreans are less adept at separating tourists from their money. It doesn't seem like a great loss to me. |
Some of the larger stores and those in certain parts of Seoul understand the money to be made from tourists and tourism, but it's mostly about shopping and very few seem in authority to understand tourism as making money from sightseeing to promote other parts of the economy, such as shows, restaurants, hotels, etc... This takes genuine effort and planning, especially when talking about building access through transportation and demand through marketing. The last two former Mayors of Seoul seemed to "get it", but the current Mayor seems lost in space.
In the USA there have been some great mayors who created tourism buzz throught the nation, and the world, like Donald Schaefer of Baltimore, who created the National Aquarium and the Inner Harbor which became the model around the country for rebuilding inner city areas. Also, another Mayor who built up his city through tourism was Henry Cisnernos who built up San Antonio's tourism following Schaefer's blueprint but also through sprucing up and promoting long-neglected local tourist attractions like The Alamo and the Riverwalk. This is all now "textbook" stuff that every elected official should know. You would think that Korean elected officials would be more proactive in this area, with all of the money to be made from tourism. |
The Chinese and Japanese do come mainly for the shopping. And there is the plastic surgery tourism.
Central Seoul could be compared favorably with a Riverwalk-type development. The amusement parks seem to do all right with tourists, although I've heard many times Everland doesn't turn a profit.
As for other parts of the country, they all have their festivals, some (a few?) of which are actually interesting. I think it really takes a car (or a package tour) to get around places like Koje or Jaebu-do. The bull fighting is done pretty well and horse racing at Kwachon is as well.
It's just not western style tourism. It's lots and lots of people going to exactly the same place at the same time and doing the same thing. And they seem to find that a hellacious good time.
The "pensions" that are springing up like mushrooms are pretty nice although usually overpriced, but then most everything in Korea is.
But I agree, in an economy that is looking for new growth areas, tourism is a no-brainer. Universal Studios is coming and the area around the airport is growing. The ski resorts attract Asian tourists and the winter Olympics could really give that a big push.
With students now off every Saturday, recreation is growing in Korea. Camping is catching on. People are traveling more, so tourism should grow.
It may be tourism for, of and by the Borg, but that's life in Korea. |
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MetaFitX
Joined: 23 Jun 2009
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| Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:13 pm Post subject: |
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Don't but it at all. I've visited over a dozen countries. Koreans are one of the friendliest people I've come across. They are pretty patient for the most part and will really go out of their way if you make an effort to learn their language (an obligation for any native english teacher).
Also, since Korea has now become the most popular Asian country and the "it" country right now, tourism is only expected to grow. |
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World Traveler
Joined: 29 May 2009
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| Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Everyone has a different experience I guess. Here is one guy's:
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Korea has the longest working hours in the OECD by a margin of about 500 hours per year. Not kidding. And that's including housewives that stay home all day, so you can basically assume that any serious career-track working person is doing about 60 hours a week. And this translates to every aspect of life. People are always in a hurry and push other people around and act extremely rude sometimes. People blow off stress by getting extremely drunk seven days a week, which translates to angry burnt-out people walking the street starting fights. If you're working at a hagwon, expect to put in longer hours than any other entry-level teaching job in Asia. Sure your pay might be all right, but you'll be working for it -- longer hours than China, Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, etc.
Korea has a SERIOUS racism and xenophobia problem that is much worse than any other country I've ever seen. Sure, the majority of Koreans don't hate foreigners, but even if a small number hate foreigners, it can make your life a living hell. I've been assaulted in Seoul twice by people on the street. My foreign female friend was raped and I know two other foreign women who were almost raped (seized by a man and public who tried to drag them somewhere). In other countries like America, people might call you names or curse at you, but in Korea, they'll just deck you. And no one around you is going to sympathize with you or try to help unless you're dying in a ditch. You're a dirty foreigner who deserves it. The visa process is also HIGHLY biased in favor of Korean-Americans whether they speak Korean well or not. For reference, I knew a Korean-American who spoke almost no Korean, threw cigarette butts at passing businessmen, and was a total jerk, and he got instant permanent residency. Meanwhile I lived in Korea for five years, spoke KLPT Level 5 Korean (advanced, 6,000+ words) and was denied a working visa for FIVE YEARS. Not kidding. I qualified for one twice, but both times they came up with arbitrary reasons to refuse my visa.
I'm going to have to say that despite the good parts, the racism/xenophobia issue makes Korea very difficult to tolerate. I've lived in five countries -- the Netherlands, the US, Korea, Hong Kong (PRC), and Taiwan (just starting out). I have NEVER seen a country with the deep-seated hatred of all foreign peoples that Korea has. This is not speaking about all Koreans, but even a violent 1% can put your safety in danger, and a non-violent anti-foreigner 30% can remind you every five minutes that they don't want you there.
Source(s):
Lived in Korea for five years, then called it quits and moved to Taiwan. |
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Julius
Joined: 27 Jul 2006
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| Posted: Sat Mar 23, 2013 10:53 pm Post subject: |
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| young_clinton wrote: |
| Why do they have to be friendly? In my opinion most Koreans are decent people and tourists will be treated as such, and my experience is they are not that unfriendly particularly. |
Sure most of them might be formally polite, but compare the atmosphere here to almost any other country and you immediately get the sense that something is lacking.
Koreas isolationism means they've missed out on centuries of contact with the rest of the world. They don't understand that there's a new forward-looking attitude in the world where racism, nationalism, and so on are viewed as anachronistic.
And there is a significant minority of older Korean males whose obnoxious behaviour is basically the antithesis of international norms and belongs somewhere in the 10th century. |
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augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
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| Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 7:32 am Post subject: |
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| MetaFitX wrote: |
| I've visited over a dozen countries. Koreans are one of the friendliest people I've come across. |
I've visited nearly fifty countries. Koreans are some of the least friendly people I've come across.
| Quote: |
| Also, since Korea has now become the most popular Asian country and the "it" country right now, tourism is only expected to grow. |
Don't forget to count Japanese deal shopper and plastic surgery tourism in that. Korea is definitely not the "most popular Asian country" nor the "it" country right now. Seoul was ranked 21st out of tripadvisor's travelers' choice destinations in Asia in 2012, and as someone who has traveled extensively in Asia, I still believe that that's way too high of a ranking. I think you are speaking from a very naive and ignorant point of view. |
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javis
Joined: 28 Feb 2013
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| Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 7:48 am Post subject: |
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| dairyairy wrote: |
| javis wrote: |
| So, basically, Koreans are less adept at separating tourists from their money. It doesn't seem like a great loss to me. |
Some of the larger stores and those in certain parts of Seoul understand the money to be made from tourists and tourism, but it's mostly about shopping and very few seem in authority to understand tourism as making money from sightseeing to promote other parts of the economy, such as shows, restaurants, hotels, etc... This takes genuine effort and planning, especially when talking about building access through transportation and demand through marketing. The last two former Mayors of Seoul seemed to "get it", but the current Mayor seems lost in space.
In the USA there have been some great mayors who created tourism buzz throught the nation, and the world, like Donald Schaefer of Baltimore, who created the National Aquarium and the Inner Harbor which became the model around the country for rebuilding inner city areas. Also, another Mayor who built up his city through tourism was Henry Cisnernos who built up San Antonio's tourism following Schaefer's blueprint but also through sprucing up and promoting long-neglected local tourist attractions like The Alamo and the Riverwalk. This is all now "textbook" stuff that every elected official should know. You would think that Korean elected officials would be more proactive in this area, with all of the money to be made from tourism. |
I think what they've done with the inner harbor in Baltimore and the riverwalk in San Antonio is great. I've visited both places and enjoyed them. However, when I lived in Washington, DC, one of the top destinations for tourism in the world, I found all the of tourists to be bothersome more than anything. Picture the area in front of Gwanghwamun, with its sea of Chinese, Japanese, and other tourists. Imagine if vast swathes of Seoul were that crowded with clueless, pudgy people who didn't understand how to use the public transit properly, constantly paused to take pictures and loudly complained about their feet hurting from walking so much. Are you really wishing that on us??
| atwood wrote: |
But I agree, in an economy that is looking for new growth areas, tourism is a no-brainer. Universal Studios is coming and the area around the airport is growing. The ski resorts attract Asian tourists and the winter Olympics could really give that a big push.
With students now off every Saturday, recreation is growing in Korea. Camping is catching on. People are traveling more, so tourism should grow.
It may be tourism for, of and by the Borg, but that's life in Korea. |
Give me North American style backwoods camping, and I'll be happy.
Last edited by javis on Sun Mar 24, 2013 9:34 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Yaya
Joined: 25 Feb 2003
Location: Seoul
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| Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 7:53 am Post subject: |
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Americans still go to France in droves despite the French being...French.
I think Korea's ranking in that survey is undeserved. I've been to FAR worse countries than Korea. |
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augustine
Joined: 08 Sep 2012
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| Posted: Sun Mar 24, 2013 8:07 am Post subject: |
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| javis wrote: |
| the riverwalk in San Antonio is great. |
The riverwalk used to be a really dirty place as of a couple of years ago, but maybe they've attempted to clean it up. San Antonio is a nasty city not worth visiting, in general. But they have the best professional franchise in sports.  |
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