The lure of Daegu
MALAYSIA has accomplished itself to become one of the highest levels of industrialised nations among countries in Southeast Asia. Its geological characteristics and its ideal location, in the middle regions of both the East and West, has resulted in Malaysia being an open country, attracting diverse nationalities from all over the world to discover the country’s many distinctive features, as well as drawing Malaysians to other captivating cities nearby.
KOREA TODAY
In recent times, there has been increased interest in Korean culture among Malaysians, perhaps due to a rise in the number of Korean tourists here.
One such event that drew a large Korean calling was the recent Korea Daegu Night 2017, which took place at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Kuala Lumpur. There to grace the event was Korea’s Daegu mayor himself, Kwon Youngjin. Also present was Tourism Malaysia director general Datuk Seri Mirza Mohammad Taiyab and South Korea’s ambassador Cho Byungjae.
The aim of the event was to share about the various new attractions Daegu has to offer. Malaysian travel agencies, airline companies, media and travel journalists were also part of the event, in some way partners in promoting Daegu.
The event saw a promotional video being aired, showcasing the beautiful four seasons of Daegu, exclusive shopping districts and a host of varied experiences the country can offer. A tourist presentation on Daegu followed, after which the Daegu City Art Group took the stage to present an introduction to Korean wave and culture.
It was learnt that since Malaysia and South Korea opened a gateway for diplomatic relations in 1960, there has been a fair exchange of skills, know-how and knowledge across various fields, from culture to tourism and more. Daegu has plans to further attract Southeast Asian tourists, including Malaysians, to explore its amazing city. However, both still lack adequate awareness about its country, culture and its people.
ATTRACTIONS APLENTY
“Through the (Korea Daegu Night 2017) conference, we wish to promote the different attractions of the beautiful and dynamic Daegu in Malaysia. This will serve as a stepping stone, attracting various tourists from Malaysia. In addition, we have also signed an MoU with Malaysia’s major travel agencies including Apple Travel, in order to support continuous attraction of tourists and expand the tourist exchange between both countries,” said mayor Kwon in his speech.
“We are planning to engage in diverse PR and attraction activities to promote Daegu and will develop customised products for tourists including beauty and medical tourism, sectors where Daegu city holds great advantages. We intend to attract Malaysian tourists of various ages and backgrounds to Daegu and have plans to invite power bloggers and local travel agencies to help promote the many attractions of Daegu through a family tour event.
“We are also planning to expand certification of halal restaurants, solving the inconvenience of Southeast Asian tourists besides conducting other efforts to improve our environment and accommodations,” Kwon added.
CHARACTER AND CHARM
Daegu, the fourth largest city after Seoul, Busan and Incheon, is proud to be the home of global corporation Samsung. It is also famous for its fashion and beauty, and has served as the hometown that delivered many Ms Koreas.
The city offers a well developed transportation system that allows visitors to traverse across Korea easily.
The city charms with its historical past and modern future, offering a spectacular experience that marries the old and new.
Daegu’s four seasons are filled with festivals and cultural art performances that include Spring’s Yakryeong-si Hanbang [Korean herbs] festival and Colourful festival; Summer’s Chimac [Chicken-beer] festival and International Musical Festival; in Autumn, the International Opera festival and Seungshi [Monk Market] festival; and during Winter, the E-world LED Star festival and Ice festival.
There is much to discover at South Korea’s city of Daegu.
The next time you plan for a vacation, consider Daegu, a city that will surely charm and fascinate. For more information, visit http://tour.daegu.go.kr/eng/; https://www.facebook.com/ daegutravel; https://www. instagram.com/daeguvisit/