Koreans To Visit Alberta In Record Numbers This Summer

March 28, 2007   |  
March 28, 2007
 
Calgary... As many as 8,400 Korean travellers will be visiting Alberta this summer as part of a new charter program negotiated by Travel Alberta and the Calgary Airport Authority.
 
Korean Air will fly Boeing 777-200 aircraft three times a week, July 1 until September 2, between Seoul and Calgary.  Each flight will carry up to 301 passengers.
 
“Alberta shares its world-class attractions and western hospitality with well over a million international visitors each year,” said Hector Goudreau, Minister of Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture.  “We look forward to providing our Korean guests with a truly memorable experience in our province.”
 
Itineraries are still under development but all tours will include the Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience in Jasper National Park as the anchor attraction.  Destinations included on the six to nine-day charter schedules include Calgary, Edmonton, Banff, Canmore, Lake Louise, Jasper, Drumheller, Red Deer, Fort Macleod and Waterton.
 
“We are very confident that the diversity of Alberta’s tourism attractions will be popular with Koreans this summer,” said Bo Young (Arnold) Song, general manager of Korean Air’s Americas Network Team in Seoul.
 
The charter program will be sold by Korean tour operators Hana Tours, Mode Tours, Freedom Tours and Lotte Tours. 
 
“We are thrilled that after two years of persistent relationship-building in Korea and with the facilitation of the Calgary Airport Authority, that we have been able to generate such a significant charter program,” said Derek Coke-Kerr, managing director of Travel Alberta.  “We are especially pleased that we will showcase so much of rural Alberta for our guests this summer,” he added.
 
In 2005, more than 37,000 Koreans spent more than $32 million visiting Alberta.
 
Strengthening our tourism industry supports Premier Ed Stelmach's plan to build a stronger Alberta. Other priorities for the government are to: govern with transparency and integrity, manage growth pressures, improve Albertans' quality of life and provide safe and secure communities.
 
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Media enquiries may be directed to:

Derek Coke-Kerr
Managing Director
Travel Alberta
Phone: 403-297-2700

Arnold Song
General Manager
Korean Air
Phone: 82-2-2656-7302
 
Erin Larson
Communications
Alberta Tourism, Parks, Recreation and Culture
Phone: 780-427-6530
To call toll-free within Alberta dial 310-0000.