Travel And Tour World:  Tell us a bit about yourself

Adam Pepin Hall: I am Adam Pepin Hall I am an exhibitor of the Korean Tourism Organization. My job is to promote Korea.

Travel And Tour World:  Who are your main promotional targets?

Adam Pepin Hall: Well anyone really, anyone who is interested in Korea. We try to attract clientele from the United Kingdom, Ireland and even South Africa.

Travel And Tour World:  I’ve noticed that Korea has become a huge tourist destination for a variety of different reasons. Aside from the obvious which is history and culture I’ve also noticed that there is a big rise in entertainment tourism. So film, TV and music tourism. Would I be right in assuming this?

Adam Pepin Hall: Oh yes absolutely ! Food is another one !

Travel And Tour World:  Why would you say there has been such a boom in entertainment tourism throughout the past few years?

Adam Pepin Hall: Well you’ve got K Dramas, K pop, Korean movies. The rise of all these different forms of entertainment within Korea has expanded, therefore there is a lot of tourism which comes from entertainment. We have seen a big surge in young tourists so lots of social media influences.

Travel And Tour World:  So what are marketing strategies which the Korean Tourism Organization uses to promote Korea?

Adam Pepin Hall: Well there are many ways. Since we are on the subject of entertainment one thing we do is organize tours for Netflix locations which Korean dramas and films have been filmed. We have found that it’s something a lot of tourists are interested in.

Travel And Tour World:  What countries do you get the most tourists from?

Adam Pepin Hall: I would say the main tourists come from Asia and Europe. We’re hoping to expand. We’ve got air services running. British Airways has stopped momentarily but Virgin Airways, Korean Air and even Finn air which flies from Helsinki directly into Seoul. From Seoul there are also other opportunities to explore Korea. There is a train which goes directly from Seoul to Busan.

Travel And Tour World:  What are the sustainability initiatives right now Korean Tourism Organization has taken?

Adam Pepin Hall: Well one example I can give is the public transport pass. Some of our adverts including an ad to the media, were produced by AI. We are constantly looking for new ways to be sustainable in our promotion.

Travel And Tour World:  So what are some regions you would like to promote? Is there a particular region which you believe would be of interests to tourists? One that maybe is not as mentioned compared to others.

Adam Pepin Hall: As you can imagine it’s very hard to choose, but I would say Jeju. It’s very popular with south Korean tourists but is not visited as much by international tourists.

Travel And Tour World:  Can you tell us something about Jeju? What makes it so interesting?

Adam Pepin Hall: Well, Jeju is a volcanic island. It’s the highest peak in south Korea. It has fresh food, tea and even beaches for those that enjoy a tropical climate. The fares are also pretty cheap off peak at around £20-£30. Gyeonju is another one. That’s the trouble there is so many to choose from!

Travel And Tour World:  Is there anything else you would like to add ? If I was to ask you to give me a quick elevator pitch. Why should people visit Korea?

Adam Pepin Hall: I encourage everyone to visit Korea because it has something for everyone! Culturally, Pop culturally, historically and even food. You will not be disappointed!