Measures aim at traffic jams, hotel overpricing during Expo

The government said Wednesday it plans to accelerate its ongoing highway expansion work and raise the number of trains, buses and flights connecting to the Expo 2012 Yeosu to facilitate visitors’ access and minimize traffic jams.

A pan-governmental task force will also be set up to clamp down on hotels and other lodging facilities that overcharge and refuse bookings, taking advantage of local and international guests in the hopes of a cash bonanza.

The measures come less than three weeks before the multinational exhibition kicks off on May 12. Under the theme “Living Ocean and Coast,” 106 countries, nine multinational bodies and seven Korean firms will showcase their distinct marine ecology and oceanic technology on the country’s southern tip.

The Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs estimates that nearly 11 million people will attend the three-month event. During the peak season, likely the last weekend of May, some 210,000 tourists could visit Yeosu a day with nearly 59,000 cars.

Under the latest plan, the government will increase the frequency of trains, express buses, coastal liners and flights by up to 57 percent during the expo period. It also plans to run 1,536 charter buses for group tours and free shuttle buses from nearby cities.

“We recommend visitors pick weekdays to tour the expo if possible, as series traffic congestion is expected to occur on the weekends,” a ministry official said.

To boost the accessibility of the small coastal city, the ministry has been scaling up the region’s traffic network since 2007. A bullet-train route enables access to the site within three hours from Seoul. New bridges and highway connections have shortened travel times from all parts of the country. Airline and cruise services are also being added to serve foreign visitors.

The ministry is also striving to secure sufficient lodging facilities to accommodate all travelers while guarding against illicit trade practices such as overpricing and poor sanitation.

It plans to launch a task force with five other state agencies and the Yeosu government to tighten monitoring starting in May.

By Shin Hyon-hee (heeshin@heraldcorp.com)