The Korea Tourism Organization has published a travelguide book and a revised version of its restaurant guide for Muslim tourists. The guidebook titled “Korea, Free and Easy” provides general information on tourist attractions and shopping routes favored by Muslim tourists in Korea. The restaurant guide, revised from the 2012 edition, offers information on restaurants serving halal food as well as reviews on food quality and service written by visitors who have been to the restaurants. The book

BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) ― The toppling of statues and monuments during times of political upheaval has been a well-documented act in Eastern and Central European history. Among the cathartic gestures following the fall of communism in 1989, many of Budapest’s granite and stone giants were swiftly uprooted and later carted off to a field 30 minutes away from central Budapest that has become a sculpture park for the scorned monuments. Save for a cubist rendition of Marx and Engels flanking the entr

Travelers from Asia selected cellphones as the travel item they least want to forget on vacation, according to a recent survey conducted by the hotel promotion site Agoda.com. The survey was completed by more than 50,000 customers visiting the site in February this year. Forty five percent of Asian respondents picked mobile phones as the item they least want to forget while packing for a vacation, followed by credit cards at 29 percent, laptops or tablet PCs at 11 percent, and a good book and to

According to the Hotel Price Index released by the hotel booking site Hotels.com, average hotel room prices for global travelers to Korea fell by 21 percent on-year in 2013. The average room price foreign tourists paid was 150,295 won ($139). The price drop resulted from the decrease in Japanese visitors due to the depreciation of the yen. Meanwhile, the average price of a hotel room for global travelers rose by 3 percent in 2013 from the previous year. The report said the fall in room rates mad

The Korea Railroad Corporation said it will operate a hallyu-themed train that will take overseas fans of K-pop to tourist destinations in Korea. The state rail company said it will develop programs for overseas K-pop fans with SM Entertainment, which manages TVXQ, EXO and Girls’ Generation. Korail and SM Entertainment signed a memorandum of understanding for the development of a “hallyu tourism program” on Monday. On the same day, Korail ran a train trip with TVXQ members and 250 of their fans

With less than 20 days to go, South Korea's southern island of Wando is putting the final touches to the country's first international seaweed-themed expo, organizers said Tuesday.The Wando Seaweeds Expo 2014 will be held on Wando, a remote island off the nation's southwestern coast, from April 11 for a month, organizers said. The expo, under the theme of "seaweeds and their role in mankind's future," will provide a chance to raise awareness of the importance of seaweed as an alternative food so

RABAT, Morocco (AP) ― Morocco’s tourism minister says a record-breaking 10 million people visited the North African country in 2013, indicating the industry is recovering from the setbacks of the Arab Spring revolutions.After several years of flat growth, Morocco on Tuesday reported a 7.2 percent increase in arrivals since 2012.Morocco, with beaches, exotic cities and pristine mountains that are popular among Europeans, relies on tourism for 10 percent of its GDP, the second-largest contributor

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced the 25 top photo-worthy places in Korea. Among them are Mt. Cheonmasan in Busan; Suseong Lake in Daegu; Farming Village in Daejeon; Jeongja Port and Daewangam in Ulsan; Namhansanseong Fortress in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province; and Gosam Lake in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province. The ministry announces photogenic spots every year from among scenic or historically valuable but little-known places. They are picked by tourism, geography and ecology experts

Fiji opened a new luxury boutique resort in the island’s adventure capital, Pacific Harbour, about a three-and-a-half-hour drive from Fiji International Airport. Nanuku Resort and Spa is the latest private resort set in lush tropical gardens over the pristine waters of Beqa Lagoon. Designed with Figian motifs, all suites and residences offer floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the Beqa Lagoon. The resort’s five beachfront residences are just a step away from the soft white sand beach. The resor

Trafalgar Tours, a travel company providing guided tours in more than 200 destinations worldwide, has launched services in Korea. The travel company runs travel programs led by a local travel expert. The programs are well-known for offering the choice between arranged package trips and individual trips. The guided tour programs offer hundreds of itineraries in Europe, the U.S. and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, South America and Asia. Each package includes accommodation, transport, must-see