Visit Korea Committee to Hold Korea Grand Sale 2017 to Attract Foreign Tourists and Shoppers

The Visit Korea Committee announced that the Korea Grand Sale event takes place from January 20 to February 28. (http://www.koreagrandsale.co.kr/en/)

During this event taking place one year ahead of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics, winter festivals in the Gangwon Province such as the Olympics Festival and the Hwacheon Sancheoneo (Mountain Trout) Ice Festival are scheduled to be publicized along with the main event in tandem with 2017-2018 Visit Gangwon Year so that more and more inbound tourists can be interested in the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and winter sports.

During the 40-day period, Korean Air provides special airtel discount packages, Asiana Airlines provides a discount of up to 60% for those visiting South Korea from China and Europe and Jeju Air provides a discount of up to 91% for those arriving in South Korea from abroad. In addition, Shilla Stay discounts room charges by 50% or less and the N Seoul Tower discounts its tickets by 30% while discount and buy-one-get-one-free events for foreign tourists’ favorite shopping items are available at The Face Shop and Lotte HiMart. A wide variety of similar discount events are slated to be offered by accommodations, shopping centers, beauty shops and entertainment facilities as well, including Grand Ambassador Seoul, All Mask Story, Galleria Duty Free 63, Doota Duty Free, Shinsegae Department Store and Hyundai I’Park Mall.

Three event centers are to be in operation for the convenience of shoppers. Specifically, they are to be located in Dongdaemoon and Myeongdong to provide travel information and interpretation services, free Internet and WiFi, mobile phone charging, etc. In front of Lotte Department Store Myeongdong, various giveaway events are scheduled for January 20 to 31 during the Chinese New Year holidays. Likewise, mobile event centers utilizing the Tourist Service Centers are available at the Jamsil Lotte World Mall, Shinsegae Department Store Myeongdong, Yongsan I’Park Mall, Sangsang Madang in Hongdae and so on during the period of Korea Grand Sale.

The event centers are preparing the Special Theme Week for the experience of various cultural elements of South Korea. In addition, different gifts are given during the Must-Buy Week, traditional Korean dance and music performances are put on stage during the Must-See Week, virtual reality contents for skiing and bobsled experience and the like are available in the Must-Do Week and Korean chefs’ 30 special cuisines in celebration of the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics are available in the Must-Eat Week along with tasting of popular Korean food.

The Korea Tour Card, which is a new transportation card for inbound foreign tourists, is launched on the opening day of Korea Grand Sale so that they can travel with convenience. To the same end, the Hands Free Service is discounted by up to 50%. It is a luggage delivery and storage service covering department stores, hotels, airports and major tourist sites in Seoul and helping tourists move around without having to be worried about their suitcases.

“This year’s Korea Grand Sale takes place a year before the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Olympics and, as such, we have prepared a variety of events in connection with the Olympics and winter sports,” said Han Kyung-ah, secretary general of the Visit Korea Committee (www.vkc.or.kr), adding, “We will do our utmost so that more and more foreigners can get to know how beautiful winter is in South Korea.”