KTO invites Pinoys to visit South Korea

Are you a Hallyuwave fan, or someone who would love to experience the four seasons? Visit South Korea, the Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) urged during the launch of the KTO Press Club at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati last week.

Filipino tourists in South Korea

Last year, 400,686 Filipino tourists visited the Land of the Morning Calm, a 20.9-percent increase from 2012 as airlines offered promos and as Kpop and Koreanovelas continued to rise in popularity in the Philippines. The number of Filipino travelers to South Korea is still going up; KTO reported that in the first semester of this year, 206,151 have visited the country for leisure, about 10 percent up from 2013’s half-year report.

The exchange

One of KTO’s goals is to promote South Korea not just as the land of Hallyuwave but also as a top medical tourism destination in Asia.



Last May, GMA News TV’s documentary show "Reel Time" featured two impoverished Filipino children suffering from congenital heart disease who were selected by KTO to take part in Project “Nanum” (sharing). They underwent surgery at Inje University Haeundae Paik Hospital in Busan City, one of the top medical tourism spots in Korea.

Princess Cancino is one of the beneficiaries of Project Nanum. After recovering from her heart surgery, she and her mother returned to the Philippines on May 28.

Last year, the KTO also joined relief operations for the victims of Typhoon Yolanda.

Since launching its office in Manila on May 30, 2012, the KTO has carried out several projects to promote Korean tourism in the Philippines. The organization aims to bring 14.6 million visitors from all over the world to South Korea, including the new wave of travelers from emerging economies such as the Philippines.

For the rest of 2014, the KTO will organize more travel fairs, premium products presentations, and travel seminars, including the Korean Study Abroad Expo 2014 in August.

Those interested in knowing more about these activities can check out the KTO on Facebook. — BM, GMA News