'Tourism Industry New Year Meeting'
Minister Yoo Encourages Cooperation Among Major Tourism Nations
Reveals Plan to Develop DMZ War Sites into Tourist Attractions
"I will take responsibility for 5 million people along with Vice Minister Jang Miran, making a total of 10 million. I hope the remaining 10 million will be taken care of by all of you."
Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is delivering a New Year's address at the 2024 Tourism Industry New Year's Meeting held at Lotte Hotel Seoul on the 18th. [Image source=Yonhap News]
On the 18th, Yoo In-chon, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attended the '2024 Tourism Industry New Year's Meeting' and emphasized the determination to surpass 20 million foreign tourists this year, requesting cooperation from tourism professionals.
The event held at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, was a New Year's meeting hosted by the Korea Tourism Association Central Council under the theme "The Power of Tourism Professionals, Achieving a Great Tourism Nation Together," attended by representatives from tourism-related institutions, organizations, industries, academia, and tourism high school students.
At the event, Vice Minister Jang Miran also attended alongside Minister Yoo, lending support to the commitment to attract foreign tourists.
Yoon Young-ho, Chairman of the Korea Tourism Association Central Council, said in his welcoming speech, "It seems to be the first time that both the Minister and Vice Minister have come together," adding, "To bring in 20 million foreign tourists, there are many tasks to be built such as infrastructure, so the government and private organizations must join forces to become a great tourism nation."
Vice Minister Jang responded, "When the Minister asked me to take responsibility for 5 million people, I felt a heavier weight than lifting 5 million kilograms," adding, "To become a great tourism nation, tourism professionals, sports people, and cultural artists must all unite to achieve the goal."
Minister Yoo then reiterated this year's tourism goal of "20 million foreign tourists," emphasizing, "Even the President cannot ignore tourism. The economy is poor and various situations are difficult, so I hope the tourism industry will be strategically developed and the field will operate enthusiastically throughout this year."
During the 'Dialogue with Contributors to Tourism Policy Development' held that day, speakers included Park Ki-soo, Deputy General Manager of Jin Air, Cho Soo-hyun, Team Leader of BC Card, and Kim Kyung-jin, Navy Lieutenant Colonel, who shared stories from the tourism field.
In particular, Minister Yoo mentioned the plan to develop war memorial tourism centered on the DMZ during the dialogue with contributors.
Minister Yoo stated, "From Gyeonggi Province to Gangwon Province along the DMZ line, there are monuments and memorial towers commemorating soldiers who died in each country, but they are practically neglected," adding, "Our goal is to develop tourism so that people can visit rural areas with war memorials from each country."
He continued, "We are also preparing to commercialize the Han River Defense Line and the Walker Line (Nakdong River Defense Line) as walking or bicycle paths for tourism products."
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