Jeju to Boost Airline Industry in Bid for Tourists

Jeju Island is looking to the airline industry for ways to draw in more tourists this year. Aiming to make the island more accessible for travelers from abroad, the resort island introduced a special incentive program in which an international airline that plans to establish a new route to Jeju will be given as much as W5 million (US$1=W1,488).

The island will also seek ways to chip in on surcharges for landing, which are usually about $100, if airlines run more flights to Jeju.

The move has already struck chords with major airlines from China, Japan and Taiwan that have increased their number of flights to the vacation spot.

In the case of Chinese airlines, new direct routes from Hangzhuo and Dailian have been set up, while a Gwangzuo route will open on March 27.

Taiwan is opening a flight from its largest container port city of Kaohsiung, and Japan has increased the number of flights from Osaka, Fukuoka and Nagoya.

Jeju is hosting the ASEAN-Korea summit this June and plans to attract as many as 60,000 tourists this year, compared to 54,000 last year.

Arirang News