Accommodation and Travel Discount Vouchers Reissued from the 28th... "Implementation Depends on COVID-19 Situation"

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The government is resuming the issuance of discount coupons in the tourism sector, which had been suspended due to the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19).

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it will sequentially restart the Worker Vacation Support Project and the accommodation and travel discount voucher provision project from the 28th. From that day, companies and workers wishing to participate in the Worker Vacation Support Project will be recruited, and product reservations will be accepted on the 'Worker Vacation Project dedicated website.' However, it is pre-announced that the project may be suspended at any time depending on the COVID-19 situation. Tourism products utilizing the top 100 non-face-to-face tourist destinations selected by the Korea Tourism Organization will also be introduced to help disperse workers' vacation areas.

Travel discount vouchers can be reserved starting from the 30th. When booking about 1,000 travel products (337 travel agencies) selected through a public contest via the online operator Tide Square (Tourbis), a discount of about 30%, up to 60,000 KRW, will be provided. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism explained, "The selected travel products are thoroughly dispersed by region and include various transportation means that comply with quarantine measures such as trains, buses, yachts, and airplanes." It also added that a travel guide will be designated as the quarantine officer to strictly observe basic quarantine rules such as social distancing and mask-wearing during group movements to prevent the occurrence of spread cases.

Accommodation discount vouchers will be available from November 4th through 27 online accommodation reservation websites. Coupons offering a 30,000 KRW discount for accommodations under 70,000 KRW and a 40,000 KRW discount for accommodations over 70,000 KRW will be provided and can be used immediately upon reservation. To ensure quarantine, the use of discount vouchers will be excluded during Christmas and year-end periods.

When using amusement facilities, up to 60% discount can be received through the Interpark website starting November 4th. The program will begin at the end of the autumn peak season, such as Halloween Day, and will be implemented while complying with quarantine rules such as limiting the number of users in the metropolitan area to 50%.

Along with the implementation of consumer discount vouchers, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has designated the period from the 30th to November 21st as the 'Special Quarantine Inspection Period for Tourist Destinations' and plans to jointly inspect quarantine measures at major tourist sites with local governments and regional tourism associations.

Choi Bo-geun, Director of Tourism Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said, "Although there are concerns about resuming consumer discount vouchers amid sporadic COVID-19 cluster infections, we will do our best to ensure quarantine so that this can be an opportunity for the tourism industry to more thoroughly check quarantine measures." He also urged, "Consumers using the discount vouchers are asked to make reservations focusing on less crowded tourist destinations by using travel forecast services rather than choosing famous tourist spots."