Published: 10/09/15 Source: ©The Moodie Report By Martin Moodie SOUTH KOREA/CHINA. Lotte Duty Free, together with sister companies Lotte Hotel and Lotte World, this week launched a major initiative in Chinese to increase Chinese tourism to South Korea. The development tops a good week for the countrys leading travel retailer as weekly sales to the all-important Chinese consumer showed year-on-year growth for the first time in 14 weeks (see details below). Lotte Duty Free President Hong-Kyun Lee organised a press conference and a road show on Tuesday, 8 September in Shanghai in cooperation with Lotte Hotel and Lotte World Adventure to showcase the excellence of tourism in Korea. The event also promoted the tourism infrastructure of Lotte Groups three tourism companies, with particular emphasis on the special benefits it offered to Chinese tourists. Hong-Kyun Lee was accompanied by Lotte World President Dong-ki Park; Lotte Hotel Vice-President Jae-Seop Nam; and two members of the red-hot Korean boy band Super Junior  LeeTeuk and KangIn. Powerful partnership: Lotte Duty Free launched the road show in cooperation with Lotte Hotel and Lotte World Adventure at the Shanghai Peninsula Hotel on 8 September. (Left to right): Dong-Ki Park, President of Lotte World Adventure; LeeTeuk, a member of boy band Super Junior; Hong-Kyun Lee, President of Lotte Duty Free; GangIn, Super Junior' and Jae-Seop Nam, Vice President of Lotte Hotel An audience of around 100 from 70 Chinese local media including Xinhua News Agency, People's Daily, Shanghai Morning Post and power bloggers attended the press conference before the road show. Some 200 people from 180 local travel agencies then attended the road show and underlined their commitment to cooperate on developing the group tour business to Korea. Hong-Kyun Lee said: "Each of the three tourism companies of Lotte Group will make the most of its ability to provide the best services that Chinese tourists will be satisfied with". He continued: Based on our numerous overseas offices, we will try our best to closely cooperate with the Chinese travel agencies and to invite Chinese tourists so that we contribute to the development of tourism in Korea." The press conference and road show continue Lotte Duty Frees intensive, ambitious and sustained programme to encourage Chinese tourism  a critical factor for the Korean economy. In July Lotte Duty Free introduced Koreas outstanding tourism attractions and its world-class shopping infrastructure to local Chinese entrepreneurs who work in the tourism industry, the press, and power bloggers by inviting them to Seoul and Jeju Island on two separate occasions. The press conference and roadshow drew intense interest from Chinese tourism organisations, media and power bloggers In October, Lotte Duty Free will sign a business agreement with Tourism Promotion Organization for Asia Pacific Cities (TPO) and will actively support promotions designed to spur Koreas tourism industry. TPO is an international tourism promotion organisation composed of 112 member affiliates. Since 2013, Lotte Duty Free has held 17 road shows abroad in countries including China, Japan, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan in cooperation with Lotte Hotel and Lotte World Adventure. Through their efforts, Lotte Groups three tourism-related companies were able to bring 3,370,000 Chinese tourists to Korea last year  over half of the country's total 6 million Chinese visitors. Lotte Duty Free alone brought in 1,550,000 tourists through its overseas offices  an impressive 10.8% of the total number of foreigners visiting Korea in 2014. The three Lotte tourism companies plan similar events in Japan (24-27 September) and Thailand (2-4 October), inviting participants from the respective outbound tourism sectors. Meanwhile Lotte Duty Free revealed today that its sales to Chinese consumers in Korea last week rose +15.6% compared with the same week in 2014  the first rebound after the MERS crisis. The crucial Chinese business had shown negative growth for 14 consecutive weeks from the second week of June. Lotte Duty Free has played a key role in countering the negative overseas publicity about MERS, running several high-profile promotions in accordance with government policy to restore the vital Chinese tourism business. The retailer has invited numerous travel agencies, reporters and bloggers to Seoul and Jeju as well as giving strong support to inbound travel packages. To further boost the allure of Korea to the Chinese, it has held several high-profile events such as its hugely popular Family Concert featuring K-wave stars, the Night Party in Lotte World and a giveaway event offering new cars. Lotte Duty Free's business in South Korea last week posted the first year-on-year growth in 14 weeks. Top three pictures show the retailer's flagship store in downtown Seoul; the three further below the stunning new Lotte Duty Free store by Lotte World Tower
Lotte Duty Free has launched a major roadshow in Shanghai this week to showcase tourism in South Korea. This is part of an ongoing, intensive programme by Lotte Duty to attract potential Chinese consumers to South Korea's tourist attractions, following a downturn in the market due to the negative publicity surrounding MERS. Their strategy appears to be working as sales to Chinese consumers in South Korea last week rose 10.8%, compared to last year, making it the first rebound after the MERS crisis.