Tourism experts are saying that it is necessary to be “extreme measures” in order to boost the ‘2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympic Games.’ It is necessary to create an Olympic tourism boom through the exemption of accommodation VAT, and the holding of large national sales events.
Kim Cheol-won, a professor at the convention management department of Kyunghee University, said, “Foreigners feel burdened by Korea’s accommodation charges.” We need to implement a temporary exemption of accommodation tax (10%) just like we did it during the 2002 World Cup. He also pointed out that “the public should be strengthened so that foreigners can use accommodation facilities not only in Pyeongchang but also in nearby Gangwon-do.”
Kim Nam-joo, professor of tourism at Hanyang University, said, “Until early December, it is the ‘Deadline’ “If we can not increase the number of visitors to the Olympics by this time, there is no chance. Most travelers book at least two months in advance for flights and accommodation. The government has decided to extend the visa exemption applied to Thailand and Malaysia to Indonesian, Vietnamese and Philippine group tourists. The government should extend visa exemption to other Southeast Asian countries.” The Korea Tourism Organization estimates that more than 80% of tourists visiting Korea during the Olympics are China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.
Lee Ji-chong, a professor at the Kyunghee University of Tourism, said, “We need to increase the number of other sports events, such as organizing large-scale shopping events ‘Korea Sales Festa’ ahead of the Olympics and planning K-Pop events. It is an opinion that it is possible to link shopping and cultural contents to Asian tourists who are not interested in winter sports.
