– Gyeonggi Province develops 11 premium spring tour products in cooperation with 5 partner travel agencies –
– The province is aggressively marketing the tour products through Internet reservations

Gyeonggi Province and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (President Lim Byeong-soo) has developed and launched spring tour products featuring the province in cooperation with 5 partner travel agencies.

The Gyeonggi Tourism Organization selected the five partner travel agencies –Lotte Tours, Hanatour International, Tour Sketch, Ibookland Waffletour, and DMZ Tour Korea – in March of 2008 and is working with them to stimulate domestic tourism.

The organization and partner companies have jointly developed 11 products based on major regions of the province that include farm tours, history and culture tours, a DMZ tour, and fair tour products; they are promoting these products to among seasonal tourists.

The products are gaining attention, as they include a wide range of unique tours, including a trip to Yeolseo Observatory, which had previously been difficult for members of the public to access, and farm tours that have been combined with cultural performances such as Anseong Namsadang. Also offered are EduTour, which combines a history tour of Namhansanseong and a ceramic fair tour, and a herbal cookie-making tour.

An official from the organization said, “Many local governments operate an incentive system whereby a per-tourist commission is paid to travel agencies, but Gyeonggi Province is the first local government to jointly develop tour products, with travel agencies and provide support for tour products that need to be strategically managed and promoted.”

The organization plans to continue its partnerships with travel agencies for the planning and management of tour products until the tour products gain popularity.

For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit the Gyeonggi Province tour reservation website (www.ethankyou.co.kr) or one of the websites of the partner travel agencies.