GANGWON-DO < invest Korea

According to Yonhap News,

(CHUNCHEON=Yonhap News) A survey by the Gangwon Provincial Government on 3,000 spectators shows satisfaction with transportation, accommodation, and service

Travelers who have journeyed from different parts of the world to Pyeongchang to watch the Winter Olympics and Paralympics are apparently very satisfied with the kindness of Koreans as well as the facilities and services they experienced.

According to the survey conducted by the Gangwon Provincial Government, 62% of foreign spectators rated Koreans as “very friendly,” and another 32%, “friendly.”

Nearly 80% of the surveyed spectators also expressed satisfaction with the system of guidance on local tourist attractions.

When asked to pick the most memorable experiences they had in Pyeongchang, 59% chose watching the Olympics. Touring the local landscape, enjoying food, exploring cultural and historic destinations, and participating in festivals and special events were also tourists’ favorite activities, in that order.

The vast majority—79%—of these foreign travelers were those who journeyed individually.

KTX was chosen as the most favored mode of transit (43%) by these tourists, suggesting that the creation of the new Seoul–Gangwon railway has greatly improved the accessibility of Gangwon-do.

As for accommodation, 84% also expressed satisfaction.

Foreign travelers are reported to have used a wide variety of lodging options available including hotels (43%), resorts (17%), and private pensions (10%).

The most impressive tourism destinations included the Pyeongchang Winter Festival and the traditional market, as well as Ojukheon, Gyeongpodae, and Anmok Beach in the neighboring town of Gangneung.

As for Korean dishes, their favorite picks included bulgogi (26%), bibimbap (21%), Korean beef (18%), tofu and fish dishes (10% each), and the dried pollack dish (7%), a local delicacy.

The foreign travelers also rated the cultural programs available throughout the Olympics as satisfactory, giving them a high overall score of 8.8 out of 10.

The most watched cultural events were the performance arts, including Cheonnyeonhyang, a special-theme show (28%), followed by the street parades across Pyeongchang (24%), the K-Pop World Festa (17%), and local festivals (15%).

While 75% of the polled visitors reported satisfaction with communication in general, some complained that there were several places where not even English was spoken, and that there was too little information available in “minor” languages such as Russian.

Some travelers also pointed out the difficulty of access for people on wheelchairs and the complications involving transportation during the Paralympics period.

The provincial government took the survey as indicating the necessity of diversifying the available tourism products and services in Gangwon-do in order to cater to the diverse tastes and needs of foreign travelers who increasingly travel individually.

In particular, the provincial government emphasized the need to make efficient use of the remaining Olympics facilities to attract more tourists from North America and Northern Europe, where winter sports are popular.

The latest survey targeted 3,100 foreign visitors who visited Pyeongchang during the Olympics and Paralympics. The survey was conducted through one-on-one interviews.

sam@yna.co.kr

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Source Text

** This article was translated from the Korean.

Source: Yonhap News (Mar. 19, 2018)