The Korea Herald

Lotte Hotel Guam opens on June 30

Jun 20, 2014

Lotte Hotel opens its fourth overseas hotel chain in Guam on June 30. The hotel company renovated the former Aurora Resort and Spa to open the new branch in the vacation hot spot. The 18-story building has 222 guest rooms, three food and beverage outlets and four banquet halls, as well as a swimming pool, spa, chapel, tennis court and fitness club. The hotel, which overlooks the popular Tumon Bay, is 15 minutes from Antonio B. Won Pat International Airport by car. It’s located close to shopping
Hello Kitty Island Jeju popular with family tourists

Jun 20, 2014

More than 60 percent of visitors to the Hello Kitty Island Jeju are family tourists, according to the museum. The Hello Kitty-themed museum has received more than 150,000 visitors since they opened in December 2013. Of them, 10 percent are foreign. The museum consists of a Hello Kitty character exhibition room, a 3-D movie theater, hands-on art and music sessions, and a playground with sports facilities and a photo studio. For more information, visit www.hellokittyislan.co.kr. “Some limited-edit
New Harry Potter park: 5 first impressions

Jun 20, 2014

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) ― Universal Orlando Resort opened its new, richly detailed Harry Potter-themed area to media and other travel industry insiders on Wednesday night. The new park zone, called The Wizarding World of Harry Potter-Diagon Alley, will delight fans of the hit book and movie series with a marquee ride, Harry Potter and the Escape from Gringotts. But Diagon Alley is also heavy on experiential retail, with stores so entertaining and visually stimulating that you almost forget you’re
[Weekender] Around the Hotels

Jun 20, 2014

Skin refining program at Sheraton Seoul D Cube City HotelSheraton Seoul D Cube City Hotel’s Aequalis Spa is offering the “Ultimate Skin Refinery” treatment program for guests looking to perfect their skin before the summer season. The program includes Intraceutical’s “Opulence Facial Treatment,” which delivers pressurized, therapeutic-grade oxygen to the skin by using hyaluronic acid technology to inject concentrated vitamin C and natural extracts into the skin. The treatment brightens up skin t
Accor’s ‘Super Sale’ offers discounts until June 27

Jun 19, 2014

The global hotel chain Accor is offering discounts on accommodations and breakfast for those who book online by June 27. Members of its loyalty program will receive a markdown of up to 40 percent and free breakfast, while regular customers will get a 30 percent discount with free breakfast.The sale applies to Accor’s brands, including Pullman, MGallery, Grand Mercure, The Sebel, Novotel, Suite Novotel, Mercure and ibis across the world. Some 2,200 hotels will participate in the Accor’s “Super S
No curfew: Saturday night Bangkok-style is back

Jun 15, 2014

BANGKOK (AP) ― The generals who seized power in Thailand disrupted one of the country’s most lucrative industries ― the go-go bars that were forced to close early because of a curfew. Now the junta has lifted the curfew, giving a green light for Bangkok’s red-light districts and other evening activities to roar back to life. For the first time in a month, Saturday night freedom returned to the Thai capital.“This is a party city, that’s why we’re here,” said Dan Moore, a 40-year-old visitor from
Sky-high luxury meets downtown Jeju Island

Jun 13, 2014

Standing as tall as the highest building on all of Jejudo Island, the 22-story luxury business hotel, Lotte City Hotel Jeju, is a prime example of practical, convenient facilities with unbelievable panoramic views. Located smack dab in the middle of the city in the northernmost area of the island, it is a mere five-minute-drive from Jeju International Airport and is ideal for both business travelers and tourists who prefer to remain within city limits, where it is far easier to hail a taxi if ne
Hong Kong for the pleasure of business

Jun 13, 2014

HONG KONG ― The rain started on Sunday afternoon, just as the conference got underway. A translucent sheet of water soaked the view of the skyscrapers and harbor from midafternoon through the night, shining in street lights like a swarm of locusts.Those of us familiar to the rains of South Florida have seen water fall like this before ― for 20 minutes each afternoon in July and August ― but almost no one at the international legal conference that had taken me back to Hong Kong was prepared for t
Summer festivals in San Diego

Jun 13, 2014

Summer in San Diego is vibrant with educational and fun-filled festivals, making it an ideal destination for families with children. On July 4, San Diego celebrates Independence Day with a parade, family concert in Spreckels Park and fireworks over Glorietta Bay. From July 24-27, Comic-Con, the largest comics and pop culture event in the U.S., will be held at the San Diego Convention Center. The event is expected to attract fans of comic books, movie memorabilia and content related to pop cultur
Bhutan Airlines reservations available in Korea

Jun 13, 2014

Bhutan Airlines, Bhutan’s first private airline, is opening service in Korea through a new general sales agent. Bhutan People is in charge of booking plane tickets, visa registration, arranging group tours or incentive tours and offering travel information. Previously, airline-related reservations were handled by an Indian tour agency. The airline operates services between Bangkok, Thailand and Paro, Bhutan, daily and will begin a new roundtrip service between Kathmandu and Paro on Monday and Th
Busan presents new tour routes tracking its history

Jun 13, 2014

The Busan Tourism Organization is presenting four different city tour routes tracing its history and popular local food. The tours visit historic sites of modern Busan, including Yeongdo Bridge, Korea’s first drawbridge built in 1934 and reopened last year; Choryang Oegwan, a memorial stone built to commemorate trade relations with Japan in the 17th century during the Joseon era (1392-1910) and local markets with popular street food such as the Korean pancakes “hotteok” and fish batter cake “eom
Cuban uncovers Mexico’s secrets with new tour company

Jun 11, 2014

ANN ARBOR, Michigan ― “A person born to be a flowerpot will not go beyond the porch.” ― Mexican proverbStephanie Schneiderman quit her job seven years ago and went adventuring in Mexico.Now life is rich. Not money rich. Enjoyment rich.Born in Havana, Cuba, and raised partly in Mexico City, Schneiderman is known as Tia (Aunt) Stephanie. And Mexico is the secret gem she loves to share with others. Stephanie Schneidermann of Tia Stephanie Tours in Ann Arbor, Michigan, wears some of the textiles she
[Herald Interview] Redesigning Korean tourism

Jun 9, 2014

New head of Korea Tourism Organization talks about new slogan, luring young foreign tourists
Overseas tourism shrinks after Sewol: travel agent

Jun 3, 2014

The number of South Korean overseas tourists appears to have fallen steadily since the Sewol ferry sank in April, killing 288 passengers with 16 still missing.About 142,000 people traveled abroad in May through Hana Tour, South Korea’s largest travel company, the company said. The figure is down 5.7 percent from the same month last year. So far 107,000 have booked to go abroad in June, down 12.1 percent from a year earlier. Travelers stand in line at Gimpo International Airport on Tuesday, a da
California’s redwoods: Land of the giants

May 30, 2014

LEGGETT, California ― It was the first full day of my redwood country road trip, about 290 kilometers north of San Francisco. John Stephenson was showing me his drive-through tree, a 96-meter beauty that’s the pride of Leggett.A storm had just roared through. Raindrops trickled from the forest canopy, and tendrils of steam drifted up from the rough bark of the pass-through trunk, where redwoods store much of their moisture. I thought Stephenson was going to remind me that the tree was called the