The Korea Herald

Hana operates ice-breaking cruise tour in Hokkaido

Mar 14, 2014

Hana Tour is running a five-day ice-breaking cruise, the itinerary of which includes Abashiri and some of Japan’s most well-known natural wonders such as the Kushiro Wetlands, Lake Mushu and Lake Kussharo. The tour package also includes visits to hot springs and the Abashiri Prison Museum, all-night stays at hot spring hotels and traditional Japanese kaiseki meals. The tour departs on Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays throughout March. The cost ranges from 899,000 won to 999,000 won. For m
Norway promotes land of ‘Frozen’

Mar 14, 2014

The Norway Tourism Organization in Seoul recently kicked off its latest “Powered By Nature” campaign to encourage more travel to the country, which boasts breathtakingly scenic Nordic views ― views that may remind some of a particularly popular animated movie. As the box-office smash “Frozen” continues to take the world by storm, the Norway tourism agency has decided to latch onto the country’s undeniable obsession with the Disney flick, which recently became the highest-grossing animated film i
Art tours promote lesser-known tourist sites

Mar 14, 2014

Tired of stereotyped sightseeing in Korea? Then, try lesser-known places such as Seoul Fortress or an art-themed tour offered by a provincial city. Anyang, a city in Gyeonggi Province south of Seoul, will kick off the Anyang Public Art Project in April. Participants in the guided tour, now in its fourth year, will be able to view artwork, visit local parks and walk along promenades in the city. Art experts will accompany the tours. In Seoul, the Gangnam-gu District Office is running a trolley bu
Gunsan old and new

Mar 14, 2014

It was late Saturday morning and still smoggy when we left Seoul on an express bus for Gunsan. We were going to this west coast port to reach a nearby island famous for its sunsets, though with all the fine-particle dust the possibility of a sunset was still up in the air. The atmospheric conditions were unchanged by the time we’d arrived and caught a taxi. The talkative driver, wearing black faux-leather pants, a puffy black jacket and black sports sunglasses, said that Gunsan was the hardest-h
Oklahoma Panhandle: Rural and quirky

Mar 7, 2014

KENTON, Oklahoma (AP) ― The Oklahoma Panhandle has never been for the faint of heart. Before becoming a part of Oklahoma Territory, this strip known as No Man’s Land was a haven for outlaws and land squatters. Later, during the Great Depression, severe drought and blinding dust storms turned the region into the Dust Bowl. The strong survived, and today the Panhandle of Oklahoma is made up of dedicated ranchers, a growing Hispanic population and awe-inspiring views of rural life at its finest. Th
Germany voted No. 2 European travel destination

Mar 7, 2014

Germany has been selected as the second-most popular travel destination in Europe, following Spain, according to the German National Tourist Board. Germany saw a 6.5 percent increase in its number of visiting tourists, higher than the average increase rate of 2.9 percent in the total number of Europeans traveling overseas. A total of 2.6 million Europeans visited the country last year. (wylee@heraldcorp.com)
World hotel room prices rise by 3 percent

Mar 7, 2014

Hotel room prices have steadily increased over the last four years, with last year seeing an increase of 3 percent, according to the Hotel Price Index compiled by the hotel booking website Hotels.com. According to the index, Latin America had the highest price increases. Hotel rates in Europe and the Middle East grew by 2 percent, signaling the European economic recovery. Meanwhile, hotel prices in Asia fell by 2 percent due to the depreciation of the yen, rupee and rupiah, coupled with a decrea
Treasure of the Sierra Madres

Mar 7, 2014

First-time visitors to the Philippines sometimes make the mistake of arriving in Manila without any further travel plans. To be fair, there’s some fine sightseeing to be done ― especially in the Intramuros area, site of the original Spanish fort ― and the city has a certain apocalyptic charm to it, especially during the monsoon season. Stay too long in Manila, though, and the Philippines’ jungles, dive sites, highland villages, volcanoes and more than 7,000 islands begin to exercise a magnetic p
Jejudo faces oversupply of lodging

Mar 5, 2014

Hoteliers fear number of tourists may not keep pace with surge of hotel rooms
JW Marriott Seoul names new general manager

Mar 3, 2014

JW Marriott Seoul has named veteran hotelier Matthew Cooper as its new general manager, the hotel said on Monday. Starting as a banquet waiter in Australia, Cooper has built a professional career in hospitality of 16 years with Marriott International. He previously served as the general manager in India at Bengaluru Marriott Hotel Whitefield and at Courtyard by Marriott, Gurgaon. He has been involved in the preopening stages of several hotels and was awarded the Marriott International “Prestigio
Plenty to do in Kathmandu

Feb 28, 2014

With latest political crisis behind it, Nepali capital set to attract fresh round of visitors
Slow boats to China

Feb 28, 2014

Ferries offer cheap cruises from Korea to 12 Chinese destinations
KR Pass available at Incheon airport from March

Feb 28, 2014

KR Pass, a train pass that allows foreigners to travel on KORAIL trains for fixed lengths of time, will be sold at Incheon International Airport from March 1. There are five kinds of KR Pass: one-day, three-day, five-day, seven-day and 10-day passes. During the specified number of days, foreigners may ride trains of their choice, including the express train KTX, and the Saemaeul and Mugunghwa trains. According to the Korea Railroad Corporation, which is selling the pass, the number of foreign pa
Philippines to hold hot air balloon festival in April

Feb 28, 2014

Travelers to the Philippines will be able to see hundreds of hot air balloons floating in the air at Clark International Airport, Angeles City, from April 10-13. One of the biggest aviation sports events in the country, it features events including skydiving, remote-control airplane exhibitions, aeromodelling demonstrations and aircraft control competitions. Concerts and street dances will also take place as side events to heighten the mood of the balloon festival.The festival attracts 60,000 vi
Big changes ahead for frequent fliers on Delta

Feb 28, 2014

ATLANTA (AP) -- Delta Air Lines is making fundamental changes to its frequent flier program and will reward those who buy its priciest tickets, as opposed to those who fly the most miles.It will be the first major carrier to make such a change and other airlines will certainly be watching to see how travelers react.Delta said that the 2015 SkyMiles program will better recognize frequent business travelers and leisure customers who buy premium fares.It’s a bid to lure the much-sought-after busine