[From Readers] Korea still not inviting for foreign tourists

My job involves making hotel reservations here and in other countries. I help individual tourists draw up travel schedules compare packages offered by various tourism agencies. I hear comments from both Koreans who travel abroad and foreigners who come to Korea. Ninety percent of outbound Korean travelers express their satisfaction after their overseas holidays. But many foreigners say they have no plans to return to Korea.

Many foreign tourists stay in Korea for more than a week and visit tourist attractions scattered throughout the nation. They say there is little inconvenience during their stays in Seoul because the signs can be understood and communication is at least possible. However, they tend to express dissatisfaction with conditions in rural areas. Very few places accept credit cards, they point out, and the bus terminals are dirty. Some foreigners have made telephones call to my company because the language barrier prevented them from buying bus tickets at outlying terminals. For example, a foreign tourist who was going to Chungju was sold a ticket for Chongju. Moreover, none of our rental car agencies provide foreigners with explanations in English.

These foreign visitors will leave with a bad impression of Korea and retain that image throughout their lives. Koreans are said to be kind. But kindness is more readily remembered when it is accompanied by convenience and cleanliness.

Kim Ra-I (Samjon-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul)