South Korea has launched a three year campaign to push annual tourism arrivals past the 10 million mark.
In 2009 7.8 million travelled to the country, up 13.5% on 2008, with the Middle East performing particularly well as a source market with arrivals up more than 50%.
Shafiq Ibrahim of the Korean Tourist Board revealed the global campaign – called Visit Korea 2010-2012 would be focused on three main areas; capital city Seoul, the so-called Hawai of the Far East Jeju Island and the third largest port in the world Busan.
He added: “We have put in place a nationwide hospitality campaign part of which will be to tell everyone in Korea to smile at foreigners.
“To encourage more visitors we will be offering things like tourism coupons with discounts and incentives for longer stays and we have a 24 hour free number tourists can call for translation help and information.
Ibrahim highlighted the first F1 Grand Prix in Korea later this year, the World Athletics Championships next year and the World Expo in 2012 as key drivers of extra visitors.