A tour was recently held in Gyeonggi Province for executives and employees of foreign-invested companies. Participants took a field trip to eco-friendly facilities in the province and had the opportunity to experience Korean traditional culture.

The Gyeonggi Association of Foreign Invested Companies (GAFIC; Chairman Lim Byeong-hoon) and the Gyeonggi Tourism Organization (GTO; President Lim Byeong-Soo) teamed up to host an event showcasing Korean traditional culture and the leading green facilities in Gyeonggi Province for the employees of foreign-invested companies in the province and their families on November 1, 2008.

This event combined the Korean Culture Experience provided by GAFIC and the Eco Tour of GTO. GTO has organized 5 tours to promote the green policies of Gyeonggi Province as well as its various eco resources and facilities including incineration facilities and wastewater treatment centers. Past program participants included students from international schools, exchange students, foreign housewives, and employees of foreign embassies. GAFIC has also offered tour programs to promote Korean culture among the employees of foreign-invested companies in Gyeonggi Province.

This event included trips to the Namyangju Hwado Wastewater Treatment Center, Guri Incineration Center, and Hwaseonghaenggung in Suwon.

The Hwado Wastewater Treatment Center has recently emerged as a popular destination for Namyangju residents as it features a park with the world’s highest artificial waterfall (92m), piano-shaped toilets, and an eco-promotion center. The numerous attractions were created to improve the image of the wastewater treatment center.

The Incineration Center in Guri is gaining popularity among visitors after an observatory was built on the chimney of the incineration tower, which had previously been regarded as a dangerous facility. Visitors to the observatory can now enjoy a beautiful view of Yangpyeong, Namyangju, Seoul, and the Han River.

At Hwaseonghaenggung and Hwaseong Fortress, which are popular tourist attractions in Suwon, foreign employees and their families had an opportunity to wear Korean traditional costumes and practice archery. Following its designation as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site in 1997, Hwaseong Fortress has become one of most popular cultural tourism sites in Korea where visitors can enjoy a wide range of activities including archery sessions and a walking course.

This event was attended by foreign employees from a number of countries, including Japan, Singapore, and China, and most of the participants in the cultural event organized by GAFIC in the first half of 2008 attended the event again, demonstrating their high interest in Korean culture and Gyeonggi Province, the new growth hub of Korea.

GAFIC Chairman Lim Byeong-hoon said, “The success of the event can be attributed to the numerous interesting activities that were designed for foreign employees. Visitors had a chance to improve their understanding of Korean culture through this event. Most were highly satisfied with the event since, unlike many other tour programs, it gave them an opportunity to learn about Korean culture through direct experience. They were also interested in this event as a valuable opportunity to meet employees of other foreign firms.”

A spokesperson for GTO said, “The fresh idea of combining the tour to favorite destinations of foreign tourists with the trip to green facilities will attract the attention of foreign employees. We expect that these efforts will increase the number of participants and improve the program’s effectiveness as a PR vehicle.”