"Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019" is coming - the best time to visit Muslim-friendly Korea

SEOUL,South Korea,Aug. 30,2019 -- Korea Tourism Organization (hereafter "KTO") will host "Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019," a promotional event designed to attract the Muslim visitors to Korea,for two months from September 1 to October 31.

Since its first run in 2016 until its fourth event this year,this annual event is to promote Korean tourism for Muslim tourists whose importance keeps increasing in the global tourism market.

Special Discount for Muslim Tourists during "Halal Restaurant Week Korea 2019"

Halal Restaurant Week Korea promotion was initiated as part of the effort to mitigate the difficulties,that Muslim tourists often face with food because of the lack of Halal food restaurants in Korea,and improve the tourist infrastructure of Korea to better serve the needs of Muslim tourists. Through the survey on Muslim tourists' travel patterns during their stay in Korea,KTO specifically noted the issue of food,which was revealed to be the primary problem endured by many Muslim tourists because of the lack of restaurants serving Halal food in Korea. The Halal Restaurant Week Korea promotion is designed to provide Muslim tourists with information on reliable Halal offerings and discounts,thereby establishing an image of Korea as a Muslim-friendly tourist destination. The event also seeks to combine the excellence of Korean cuisine and its adaptability to Halal requirements.

Visitors to Korea during this period,both Muslims and other foreign tourists,will have access to discounts and other benefits from KTO-designated "Muslim Friendly Restaurants" and major tourist sites. This year's event will include152 Muslim-friendly restaurants and 40 major tourist sites and experience programsto allow a greater range of benefits compared to the last year's event. The list of participating organizations and discounts available can be found on the official web page of the event (www.hrwkorea.or.kr).

Visitors will also have access to Halal Restaurant Week Korea coupon book through the KTO offices in major Muslim-tourist regions (Singapore,Kuala Lumpur,Jakarta,Bangkok,New Delhi,Dubai,Istanbul,Almaty). This coupon book includes discount coupons usable in Muslim-friendly restaurants with values of KRW 3,000 and KRW 10,000 as well as the coupons for each key attraction and experience program. In addition,54 Muslim-friendly restaurants will offer special set menus during the promotion period and coupon discounts up to KRW 10,000. The coupons can be downloaded from mobile platforms and the official web page of the event (www.hrwkorea.or.kr).

The beginning of autumn in Korea arrive on September and October,away from the blazing heat of summer,that makes it an exciting season for tourists as many festivals and events cater to foreign visitors during this period. In particular,cultural events like Seoul Street Arts Festival (SSAF,October 3-6) and major K-Wave festivals like the Busan One Asia Festival (BOF,October 19-25) also fall within the Halal Restaurant Week Korea,making the event an especially convenient time for Muslim fans of K-Pop and K-Wave in general.

Korea on Fast Track to Muslim-Friendly Destination

KTO has recognized the importance and influence of the Muslim tourism sector and is exerting a variety of efforts to attract more Muslim tourists to Korea.

Trying to steadily increase the number of Muslim-friendly restaurants since 2016 constitutes a major part of the efforts to resolve the issue of food,which is the most significant problem that Muslim tourists face in Korea. For that reason,the Muslim restaurants all over the country are subdivided into four categories -- Halal-certified,Self-certified,Muslim-friendly,and Pork-free -- depending on detailed criteria such as their usage of Halal ingredients and pork,to be designated as Muslim-friendly restaurants. The number of restaurants designated as Muslim-friendly Restaurant rose from 135 restaurants in 2016 to 250 by the end of 2018,contributing to the drive to mitigate the difficulties that Muslim tourists often face in food.

KTO's support project also includes establishment of a mobile prayer room in the tourist area in Jeju region ("Tamnara Republic") for the convenience of the Muslim's prayer,along with additional prayer mats in prayer rooms located in major tourist sites and hotels. Moreover,KTO seeks to develop new tourist packages catering to Muslim tourists in K-Wave and other fields in addition to premium packages like medical tourism to offer a diversified response to different demands from Muslim markets.

These efforts have led to the ever-increasing reputation of Korea as a Muslim-friendly destination. According to the 2019 GMTI (Global Muslim Travel Index) report,Korea has ranked 8th among non-OIC destinations. Given that the annual number of Muslim visitors to Korea is expected to exceed the 1 million mark for the first time in 2019.

KTO Muslim-Friendly Travel Web Page:http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/ATR/muslim_intro.jsp

Halal Restaurant Week Event Website: www.hrwkorea.or.kr

(Event information,coupons,list of participating organizations)

Facebook: www.facebook.com/halalrestaurantweekkorea

Instagram: www.instagram.com/halal_restaurant_week