The Korea Tourism Organization said it will accelerate its marketing efforts for Chinese and Japanese tourists in the fourth quarter to attract 10 million foreign tourists in 2011.

According to data by the KTO, the number of foreign tourists who traveled to Korea during the first eight months is estimated to have reached 6.2 million, a 7.7 percent increase from 5.7 million during the same period a year earlier.

If the current pace continues, the number of foreign tourists in 2011 is expected to reach 9.6 million, a 9 percent increase from 8.8 million in 2010, the KTO said.

To push up the figure to 10 million, the KTO will focus on short-term marketing in the fourth quarter for tourists in the nine countries which are nearest to the Korean Peninsula including China and Japan, it said. To do so, the KTO will allocate 3 billion won ($2.67 million) special budget in the fourth quarter. 

Out of the 400,000 targeted tourists, the KTO said it will attract 200,000 from China and Southeast Asia by diverting tourists from Japan to Korea who are concerned about the ramifications of the nuclear plant accident in Japan.

Upcoming large-scale exhibitions such as the 2011 International Travel Fair in Taiwan and 2011 China International Travel Mart in China will push up demand for Korea travel, which will help attract 60,000 tourists to Korea, the KTO said.

People in Southeast Asia will be interested in Korea’s ski tourism, as PyeongChang won the bid to host the 2018 Winter Olympics, it said.

One of the fourth-quarter marketing highlights will be “hallyu week” in late November, during which foreign tourists will have a chance to visit Korea’s tourism spots with hallyu stars, the KTO said.

It will also hold an event called “I Am a Real Hallyu Fan,” jointly with a local TV station, to allow international hallyu fans to meet their favorite stars during the hallyu week.

By Kim Yoon-mi (yoonmi@heraldcorp.com)