Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

Korea Least Attractive Tourist Spot
By Kang Hyun-kyung, Korea Times (September 30, 2008)
http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/09/116_31898.html

[VanIslander]

I can't fathom what country came eighth and the story doesn't indicate which one it was that was least attractive. (Notice how Koreans have to be No.1 even if it's about being the least, which they aren't, they're second to last. Anyways...)

Certainly not Vietnam, Indonesia or The Philippines (Laos and Cambodia wouldn't have been in the study in the first place would they have? Taiwan, though China doesn't recognize it as a country so maybe wasn't in the survey).

I like Korea and I think it has major potential as an international tourist destination. But in terms of now, opinions on it are pretty low, NONEXISTENT actually. I have talked to HUNDREDS of people in my travels and met NO ONE who has travelled here unless for work or family. In fact, people don't realize the character of this country much. Even WITHIN Korea, I only twice in five-plus years have met fellow waygook here for primarily tourist reasons (one was a French couple who first visited their old friend in Seoul, so dunno if they count), the other a couple of Dutch hikers headed for Jiri mountain, they having been to China and Japan and heard Korea has a lot of mountains, they decided to give them a try.

What country came in last (eighth) in terms of international opinion I am truly stumped. Brunei wouldn't have been part of the study would it have?

[piratebryan]

[the_beaver]

[kprrok]

[VanIslander]

I finally thought of what could be last: Bangladesh !

[Sadebugo1]

I posted this one on the travel forum. It was taken from the October Conde Nast magazine and was a poll of only American travelers. No one believed it, but I did get confirmation from the magazine that the figures were accurate. Write them if you don't believe it.

Number of visitors for 2007

1 China 1,710,292
2 Japan 815,882
3 India 696,739
4 Thailand 681,972
5 Phillipines 578,983
6 Vietnam 412,301
7 Singapore 409,000
8 Malaysia 204,844
9 Cambodia 137,539
10 Indonesia 130,963
11 Pakistan 126,168
12 Nepal 19,925
13 Bangladesh 13,422
14 Mongolia 9,549
15 Myanmar 6,309
16 Bhutan 5,018

It does seem very odd that Korea would not have at least 5,000 American tourists like Bhutan. The poll seems to be based on official numbers and quotes other stats such as number of flights to each country, etc. I thought maybe the methodology had affected Korea. For example, returnees and/or job seekers aren't considered tourists. Of course, I'm sure Korea gets a plethora of tourists from its neighboring countries due to proximity if nothing else.

Sadebugo
http://travldawrld.blogspot.com/

[ttompatz]

Cross posted here http://forums.eslcafe.com/korea/viewtopic.php?t=134608 in the travel forum as well.

[mindmetoo]

[valkyrian2]