Three cruise ship calls at Sokcho Port; around 5,000 foreign tourists to visit Gangwon

【Financial News, Sokcho = Kim Gi-seop】Around 5,000 foreign passengers and crew will visit the Yeongdong region of Gangwon Province as cruise ships make three calls at Sokcho Port this month alone, including an ultra-luxury cruise ship making its first call in Sokcho.
According to Gangwon Special Self-Governing Province, Sokcho City and the Gangwon Tourism Organization on the 16th, the Westerdam, a large cruise ship operated by Holland America Line, will arrive at the International Cruise Terminal at Sokcho Port on the 17th. The Seabourn Encore, operated by the ultra-luxury cruise line Seabourn, will then make two calls, on the 19th and 25th. The call on the 19th will be the Seabourn Encore’s first in Sokcho.
Spaces where visitors can experience Korean traditional culture, including trying on hanbok and Korean calligraphy, will be open at the cruise terminal on an ongoing basis. A promotional space bringing together Sokcho souvenirs and signature local specialties will also be set up to showcase regional products. A shuttle bus will run between the terminal and Sokcho Tourist & Fishery Market so passengers and crew can easily explore the city, and staff who can provide tourist information in several languages will be stationed at the site.
A variety of shore excursion packages have also been put together. Alongside tours of major attractions such as Seoraksan and the DMZ in Goseong County, the packages will include hands-on experiences at breweries in the Sokcho area and a cooking class in Abai Village focused on the cuisine of displaced residents. The aim is to increase passenger satisfaction during their stay. Gangwon Province expects visits by cruise tourists to attractions, restaurants and shops in the Yeongdong region to give local businesses a boost.
Gangwon Province Governor Woo Sang-ho said, “The fact that an ultra-luxury cruise ship is visiting Sokcho for the first time means that Gangwon is becoming more competitive as an international cruise port of call.” He added, “We will take great care to welcome passengers so that the time they spend in Gangwon—from hanbok experiences to tours of Seoraksan and the DMZ—translates into local spending.”

[email protected] Kim Gi-seop Reporter