Hyd among top five cities keen on a vacation in S Korea

PyeongChang: A sequence of positive events ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 winter Olympics in February have generated huge tourism interest among Hyderabadis with the city figuring among the top five Indian cities looking for a vacation in South Korea.
While North Korea opened a long-closed border hotline with South Korea and agreeing to improve ties, India’s first-ever international medal in skiing won by 21-year-old Aanchal Thakur, has sparked interest in sport tourism.
Her Alpine Ejder 3200 Cup victory in Turkey evoked immediate response on the winter sport, and more interestingly, on Gangwon province of South Korea, which will host the Olympics.
“It’s only after Aanchal’s victory that we realized that India too is participating in the Winter Olympics. South Korea is an enigma for many of us and we would definitely like to explore the country more,” said Dayanand Shah, a foodie and travel junkie from the city.
Having qualified for the February 9-25 games, India’s Shiva Keshavan and Jagdish Singh will fight for medals at PyeongChang, and the other venues in the picturesque Gangneung and Jeongsean counties. Nestled in the Taebaek mountains region, Gongwon’s ski resorts, sprawling ranches, sea coast in Sockho and local customized hospitality, leaves a traveller spellbound, said travel agents.
"In addition to witnessing the winter Olympics, travellers can also look forward to experiencing awe-inspiring winter landscapes in the month of February in South Korea. Looking at trends on our platform we see that Hyderabad is among the top five cities in the country in terms of searches for Korea," said Balu Ramachandran, head of Air and distribution at Cleartrip.
Organisers say tourism interest has increased significantly and it would boost the local economy with research showing that economic benefits of the Olympics followed by the Paralympic winter games will amount to 65 trillion Korean Won from increasing investment and growth in tourism.
“From what was once considered an insignificant niche segment, the Indian travellers’ appetite for sports tourism has been growing steadily and this includes big ticket events,” said Rajeev Kale, president and country Head — Leisure Travel, MICE, Thomas Cook India.
Huge interest hovers around the Alpensia Ski Jumping Centre, which rose to prominence through shooting of films and its world class facilities. The main venue for the Olympics has breathtakingly scenic resorts dotted across the mountainous region for a perfect holiday.
“So far it has been very positive and the games will bring thousands of tourists who will enjoy the world class infrastructure, we are putting in place,” Choi IL Hong, manager Alpensia business division under the Gangwondo Development Corporation, told TOI. “It will boost tourism for years to come and we are hopeful many Indians will flock to our cities,” he added.
Among all the pristine places, the Daegwallyeong Sky Ranch, a nature adaptive sprawling area - home to forests, streams and meadows – famous for its ecological animal husbandry, has been widely searched.
“You not only enjoy the harmony between human and nature here, but also have a unique healing experience in the ranch,” says a local official.
The Gangneung Ozuk hanok village, constructed in traditional Korean style is a top draw among tourists, especially for those who are interested in experiencing the simple village life in a modern setting.
Another top attraction among many Indians who travel to Gangwon is Nami Island, popularized by the shooting of the hit 2006 Bolllywood movie Gangster, starring Imran Hashmi and Kangana Ranawat. Located in Chuncheon, during the autumn months, the half-moon shaped Island’s rows of pine and maple trees turn red and paint the whole island in a breathtaking halo.
Many Hyderabadis inquiring about the Olympics are also keen to travel to Seoraksan national park and a canoeing experience in Mulle-gil lake, travel agents say.
Seoraksan, with the Daechongbong Peak at 1,708 meters is the backbone of the Taebaek mountain chain is often considered a backbone of the Korean peninsula and a top tourist draw.
Many Indians love to spend at least half a day canoeing and enjoying yachting at the Mulle-gil before heading off to the mountains.
“Now, both MICE and the ad hoc travel segment have shown interest for the upcoming Winter Olympics in South Korea,” Kale of Thomas Cook India signed off.
This journalist went on an invitation by Korea Tourism Organisation.