Shopping Tourism Festival, 'Korea Grand Sale' Held Soon For foreigners

Visit Korea Committee will hold the Korea Grand Sale for foreigners to attract foreign tourists during the winter season and help the tourists' expenditure expand.

Korea Grand Sale has been being held every winter since 2011 and became a representative shopping tourism festival, combined with shopping, tours and Korean Wave, or Hallyu to overcome the low season of tourism in Korea. And it is expected to bring synergy as a result of cooperation of the tourism industry and the government. Especially, the Korea Grand Sale next year is planning to promote the 2018 Olympic winter games and winter sports to raise the festival atmosphere for the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games in advance. The ski resorts across the country will participate in Korea Grand Sale by offering special benefits such as discounts on the service fees and rental fees, and they will prepare several events that participants can directly experience the winter sports in Dongdaemun area in Seoul, where many foreigners visit.

Besides, there will be various benefits in many different industrial sectors, including flight/transportation, accommodations, retails, beauty/health, and entertainment. First, Jeju Air will offer up to 91% discounts on the flight tickets (from foreign countries to Korea) of the regular fares on a first come, first served basis. Airport Express will offer a 25% discount on the Express Train fares when passengers show the official coupon of Korea Grand Sale on site. Korea Smart Card will offer up to 30% discounts on the "M-pass" cards, which are foreigner-exclusive transportation passes. Shilla Stay, which is a hotel company, will offer up to 50% discounts on the rooms and free upgrades to Deluxe rooms. Lotte World Adventure and Everland, which are the representative theme parks in Korea will give 30% discounts on the admission tickets respectively.

There will be special benefits for shopping lovers as well. Doota Mall will offer VIP coupons, with which customers can get up to 30% discounts at popular designers' brand shops and cosmetics shops. Olive Young will offer an 8% discount on the total purchased amount at the participating branch stores in the major tourist areas in Korea. Shinsegae Duty Free will offer a discount depending on the purchased amount of money, and also give out the gift certificates worth 10,000 Won when you purchase over $1. And Lotte Department Store will provide a discount depending on the total amount of what you spend as well.

Also, it will prepare a special random discount event with Ali Pay, which you can randomly get up to 900,000 Won off when paying by Ali Pay at the all branches of Lotte Department Store from January 20th to January 26th, 2017.

During the period of Korea Grand Sale, there will be "Special Theme Weeks" and diverse events will be held for foreigners. Special Theme Weeks will consist of Must-Buy Week, Must-See Week, Must-Do Week and Must-Eat Week, and there will be many different events and benefits from the participating companies.

In addition, as a part of the "2016-2018 Visit Korea Year" campaign, up to 50% discounts will be offered on the Hands Free Service, which includes a luggage delivery and storage service at department stores, hotels, airports and other major sites in Seoul. And Visit Korea Committee will promote the K-Tour Card, which is a foreigner-exclusive tourism and transportation card. With the K-Tour Cards, you can use all means of transportation in Korea such as the subway, bus and taxi. And you may enjoy the discount benefits at many tourism-related places such as duty free shops, museums and amusement parks.

The committee will expand its promotions through the overseas networks of Korea Tourism Organization, Korean Culture and Information Service, and some of the Korean airline companies. This effort will also include the online overseas advertisement, to actively attract foreign tourists during the period of Korea Grand Sale. You can check the more detailed information about the benefits and events on the official website of Korea Grand Sale koreagrandsale.co.kr.