COVID-19 Spread in the Seoul Metropolitan Area... Travel Week Postponed to July 1

Medical staff are busy at the screening clinic of Seoul Medical Center in Jungnang-gu, Seoul. Photo by Hyunmin Kim kimhyun81@

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Heung-soon] The travel week schedule, which was planned to be implemented from late this month to revitalize domestic tourism, has been postponed to July 1. This measure was taken in consideration of the recent resurgence of COVID-19 infections, mainly in the metropolitan area.

On the 10th, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that after discussions with the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters, the period of the '2020 Special Travel Week,' originally scheduled from June 20 to July 19, will be changed to run from July 1 to July 19. Detailed plans for the travel week will be announced at the end of this month.

Through the 5th National Tourism Strategy Meeting announced on the 26th of last month, the Ministry had planned to implement the travel week from the 20th of this month and apply public transportation discount programs to revitalize domestic tourism. The travel week, which had been held for two weeks annually, was extended to one month until July 19 this year considering the depressed tourism market due to COVID-19.

However, as of midnight on the same day, 50 new domestic COVID-19 cases were confirmed, with an increase mainly in the metropolitan area, leading to a decision to postpone the schedule after consultations with quarantine authorities. The travel week period will also be shortened by ten days compared to the original plan.

The Ministry plans to continue strengthening measures to spread a safe travel culture even before the travel week begins. First, on the 15th, a meeting of city and provincial tourism directors will be held under the chairmanship of Minister Park Yang-woo to request local governments' cooperation in quarantine and safety inspections at tourist sites.

Together with the Korea Tourism Organization and the Korea Tourism Association Central Council, promotional materials titled 'Safe Travel Guide by Travel Route' will be produced and distributed at tourist sites nationwide, train stations, express bus terminals, and other places crowded with travelers.

A Ministry official stated, "We plan to work hard to establish a safe travel culture for both regional visitors and tourism workers by regularly inspecting tourist sites, tourism businesses, and facilities in cooperation with local tourism associations."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.