The Korea Herald

Rising hotel prices show recovering travel market

Sept 13, 2013

The average prices of hotel rooms around the world rose by 2 percent during the first six months of 2013, according to Hotels.com’s latest Hotel Price Index (HPI), which tracks prices hotel guests paid for their accommodations around the world. Although the rise is relatively small, the average prices are now approaching the same level as 2006, before the world financial crisis. Reports showed Latin America experienced the biggest change with a 7 percent increase in hotel prices, while the slugg
Hollywood studio teaches dogs how to fly

Sept 13, 2013

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― For $349, your dog can learn to fly.One Hollywood film studio now prepares dogs for a safe and calm flight.The Air Hollywood class includes a real fuselage on a sound stage with a simulator that mimics takeoff, turbulence and landing. Hollywood extras create crowds and the chaos that come with airport terminals.Talaat Captan, president and CEO of Air Hollywood, the world’s largest aviation-themed film studio, had the idea after noticing a dog owner having a rough time getting
Pyramids quiet on visit to crisis-hit Egypt

Sept 13, 2013

CAIRO (AP) ― The lone tourist bus curved through the desert past the limestone-topped Pyramid of Khafre, leaving the camel handlers and postcard sellers trudging through its dust. It rounded one last turn, then settled atop a plateau overlooking the pyramid and its two mammoth siblings.The bus door flapped open, unleashing a dozen Chinese tourists into the empty parking lot. They strolled toward the plateau’s edge, cameras and parasols in hand, just ahead of the vendors scrambling at the prospec
‘Philippine tourism focuses on friendly people and quality’

Sept 11, 2013

Filipino secretary pursues emotional approach that emphasizes fun, warmth of its people
Revisiting the mystique of Silla

Sept 11, 2013

From ancient tombs to Buddhist temples, walking in Gyeongju brings history to life
Blair points to tourism as key to removing barriers

Sept 10, 2013

The World Travel & Tourism Council’s Asia Summit kicked off its inaugural year by hosting its first gathering at the Lotte Hotel in Seoul on Tuesday. The WTTC works to raise awareness of tourism and travel as one of the world’s largest industries, generating nine percent of the world’s GDP.“This dynamic and vibrant city is known for its advancing technology,” said WTTC Chairmen Michael Frenzel. “It is the 11th ranking and fastest growing tourist economy in the world ... so it is only fitting tha
[Photo News] PATA Forum

Sept 9, 2013
KTO updates Korea travel info app in English

Sept 6, 2013

The Korea Tourism Organization has released an update of the Korea travel information mobile application Visit Korea 3.0 for the iPhone, iPad and Android. The new version helps users navigate major tourist cities in Korea by clicking on their names for travel information. With the GPS, the app shows how to get to major tourism spots and how long it takes. The application offers more than 5,000 items of information on major tourist destinations, including restaurants, accommodation, shopping and
Hotels.com offers discounts of up to 40 percent on bookings

Sept 6, 2013

Travelers can get up to 40 percent discounts on accommodations through Hotels.com from Sept. 5 to Oct. 31 as part of the website’s “Autumn Sale.” Special offers are available in various destinations, including major Asian cities such as Busan, Bangkok, Phuket and Singapore, and other cities in Australia, Europe and the U.S. It also offers a 20 percent rebate offer to BC Global Card holders until Oct. 31. The 20 percent rebate is limited to one transaction per month with a limit of 100,000 won ($
Hawaiian Airlines offers iPad mini for in-flight entertainment

Sept 6, 2013

Hawaiian Airlines offers the iPad mini for in-flight entertainment from September on Boeing 767-300 aircraft serving 14 routes between Hawaii and the U.S., Asia and South Pacific. Passengers will be able to enjoy 100 hours of the latest Hollywood movies, television shows and a variety of games. The airline will distribute 1,500 iPad minis in partnership with the global provider of portable in-flight entertainment solutions Bluebox Avionics. “Hawaiian Airlines’ signature on-board hospitality is a
A quirky second life for the vintage Bagdad in Portland, Oregon

Sept 6, 2013

PORTLAND, Oregon ― Greetings from fast-changing Portland. On your right, note the dozens of breweries and distilleries, none of which existed until the other day. On your left, take care not to provoke the bicyclists, who may control everything by the day after tomorrow. If you’d like to feed them, locavore treats and artisan coffee only, please.And now to today’s postcard picture, just ahead among the hippies and hipsters of the Eastside’s Hawthorne neighborhood: the Bagdad Theater & Pub, built
New tours combine biking with local breweries

Sept 6, 2013

Beer-lovers are finding a new way to explore the burgeoning craft-brewing world: on bicycles.From Oregon to New Mexico to Vermont, beer aficionados can now hop on a bike and be led from one brewery to another. After sampling the latest microbrew, they can then pedal away all those extra calories.The tours ― which range from a few hours to several days ― offer a chance to meet other travelers, learn about the local culture and, of course, sample some great beer. And each tour has a different stra
‘Rural-20’ sheds light on Korea beyond Seoul

Sept 5, 2013

It is estimated that approximately 60 percent of tourists to Korea never leave Seoul. Aiming to expose more tourists to the beauty and cultural richness of Korea’s nonmetropolitan areas, the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs has developed the “Rural-20” program for easy travel to these areas and activities offering a taste of rural life. In March 2010, the ministry, after a series of trips and deliberations, announced its list of 20 villages that best represent the country’s rural
Mungyeongsaejae trail breathes history

Sept 4, 2013

This is the eighth installment in an 11-part series that introduces some of the best walking trails in Korea. Based on each trail’s popularity and the recommendations of travel experts and the Culture Ministry, The Korea Herald selected the 10 best places for walking and hiking. The series received funding from the Korea Press Foundation. ― Ed.Hundreds of years ago, seonbi, literati of the Joseon era (1392-1910), walked hundreds of kilometers from the Gyeongsang region to sit the civil service e
Airbnb launches Neighborhoods Sydney

Aug 30, 2013

Airbnb, a community marketplace that allows users to discover, list and book unique accommodations around the world announced the launch of Airbnb Neighborhoods Sydney on Aug. 26. This feature will allow guests to search more easily for accommodation in Sydney by filtering neighborhood attributes and get access to neighborhood maps, details on public transportation, tips from the community, and more. Neighborhoods provides users with information for a much more authentic, local experience while