Indonesian visitors to South Korea up 15% on last year

Seoul: The number of Indonesian tourists to South Korea jumped nearly 15 percent in the first half of 2019 from a year earlier as the country emerged as a Muslim-friendly travel destination, Seoul’s tourism promotion agency said.

Around 112,000 Indonesian tourists visited South Korea in the first six months of 2019, according to the state-run Korea Tourism Organization (KTO). Over the period, 175,000 South Koreans visited the Southeast Asian country.

The agency said Asia’s fourth-largest economy emerged as one of the top picks for Muslim tourists, providing the visitors with easy access to information on Muslim-friendly facilities, including prayer rooms and restaurants serving halal foods.

Halal food refers to dishes that are prepared in a specific way, according to Islamic Sharia law.

South Korea also has been joining forces with Indonesian firms, creating various video content that introduce major tourists’ destinations here with Indonesian celebrities, including Natasha Rizki, the KTO said.

The KTO plans to kick off the three-day 2019 Muslim-friendly Korea Festival in Jakarta on September 6 to further promote South Korea’s tourism industry.

YONHAP