South Korea is one of the best places in the world to experience the past and present at the same time. Think of age-old hanok houses hidden behind the rows of skyscraper buildings. There are also countless nature spots throughout the country,... offering something for everyone. This year's Korea Travel Expo,… helps foreign visitors pick and choose from the many destinations.
Our Won Jung-hwan reports.
At the annual Korea Travel Expo,… range of tourist options are on display... for visitors looking for short getaways around the country.
From information on how to get there and where to eat,… the exhibition is there to help travelers fully enjoy hidden attractions... in every nook and cranny of Korea.
Adding a fun twist to the 16th edition of the expo,… is a special group of people wearing traditional Korean clothing, Hanbok,... buzzing around the hall to tell visitors how beautiful it is to travel in South Korea.
"Foreigners, we come Korea and we can see unseen places, we can see somethings that Koreans can't see everyday life. So we can show something unusual for Koreans and foreigners too. Maybe this is our purpose here."
During the 4-day event,... nearly 250 foreign students from 50 countries are acting as travel advisers for foreign visitors,... and even for the locals.
While being able to speak Korean is a given,... their main goal is to inform visitors where and how they can travel,,,, and give tips from their past travel experiences.
And the foreign visitors loved it.
"We really appreciate the diversity and inclusivity that we experience here in the convention. And actually it is new thing for us. Because normally you thought that you would be introduced to a country by a local but this is a new all-together experience for us."
"It's actually more compelling and heartwarming to see different people from different nations are supporting each other. For their tourism business to thrive. It's something I've never seen from other countries. So it's really amazing."
"As well as helping visitors at the exhibition hall, these foreign students are also promoting the destinations to a wider audience by posting photos and videos on social media."
Students who like taking photos and videos are perfect for this role as they can share their stories through their own social media platforms,... and inform their friends about how beautiful it is to travel to South Korea.
While the the Korea Travel Expo runs until Sunday at COEX in southern Seoul,... these global tour supporters will continue promoting every nook and cranny of Korea's hidden attractions to the world.
Won Jung-hwan, Arirang News.
