South Korea Pledges Policy of Tourism Support for Developing Countries
South Korea Pledges Policy of Tourism Support for Developing Countries
The 19th Session of the UNWTO General Assembly opened yesterday in South Korea. The Korea Times reported that Choe Kwang-shik, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that his country has and will continue to lend support to poor nations to help them fight poverty through generating larger tourism revenue.
“We will provide financial, technical know-how and other assistance to developing nations, particularly those in Africa, to help them promote their tourism sector as a tool to create jobs and generate income. This year, we are expected to attract a record-high 10 million foreign tourists. This shows we know how to develop and promote the tourism industry,” Choe said.
The minister noted that Korea was once one of the poorest nations in the world and had to rebuild itself from the ashes of the 1950-53 Korean War. “Over the past six decades, we have emerged as one of the world’s major economies. By joining the OECD Development Assistance Committee, Korea has become the first country to transform itself from an aid recipient to a donor.”