DMO Seoul

Date and Deadlines

April 2: Sections 1-6

April 9: Sections 7-9

April 16: Project due

Comments/Questions

The following sections must be handed in bound or stapled into one business plan, complete with title page, references, etc. This template indicates the MINIMUM requirements for the team submission and forms a business plan for your marketing and sales division. Additional marks will be awarded for creativity and demonstration of all marketing and sales concepts as it relates to promoting a destination.

Name of Destination you have chosen to market/sell

Seoul

Description of Destination (Min, Gill, Kerry, Merissa)

Location: South Korea (I have a map for this section)

Population: 10.3 million (October 2008, U.S. Department of State http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/2800.htm)

What’s the rubber tire market (6 hour drive circumference): All of South Korea is accessible within 6 hours by train. (http://info.korail.com/2007/eng/ekr/ekr01000/w_ekr01100.jsp)

Leisure Tourism Product:

a. Palaces:

Gyeongbokgung: Royal Palace. Four free English language tours per day. Changing of the guards six days per week. Includes admission to the national palace museum (LP 83).

Gyeonghuigung: Palace for Joseon royalty. (LP 83)

Changdeokgung: Palace constructed between 1405 and 1412. Korea’s center of power from 1618 to 1896. World Heritage Site. Includes a secret garden and the Royal Libray. Must take guided tour. 101

Changgyeonggung & Jongmyo: Palace& Shrine 102

Deoksugung: Palace 103

b. Museums:

Toto: Museum with rare collectables. 101

Gyeonghuigung Annexe (Seoul Museum of Art): Free Admission (LP 101)

National Folk Museum: (www.nfm.go.kr) Joseon life. (LP 83)

National Museum of Contemporary Art: 103

National Museum of Contemporary Art

Jeoldusan Martyrs’ Shrine and Museum

Leeum Samsung Museum of Art www.leeum.org

National Museum of Korea

War Memorial Museum

Seoul Olympic Museum

Seoul Museum of Art

c. Temples & Churches:

Jogyesa: Buddist Temple 102

Seoul Anglican Cathedral

Namaemun: Great South Gate rebuilt in 1447

Myeongdong Catholic Cathedral. Completed in 1898

Bong-Eunsa: Temple

d. Festivals: Yeouido Spring Flowers Festival (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_2.jsp?cat=1&area=1&dateStart=01-01-2009&startDate=20090101&dateEnd=12-31-2009&endDate=20091231&keyword=&category=&areaCode=1&gotoPage=&stype=1&cid=667655)

Lotus Latern Festival An annual festival to comemorate the birth of Buddha.(www.llf.or.kr/eng)

Hi Seoul Festival: A winter festival of lights (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/SI/SI_EN_3_2_2.jsp?cat=1&area=1&dateStart=01-01-2009&startDate=20090101&dateEnd=12-31-2009&endDate=20091231&keyword=&category=&areaCode=1&gotoPage=&stype=1&cid=667655)

e. Shopping:

Coex Mall

World Cup Stadium and Park: Turned into a retail complex 104

f. Parks:

Tapgol Park: Park with a 12m-high pagoda constructed in the 1470s. March 1, 1919 declaration of independence read at the park. 103

Olympic Park

Yeouido: Island known for parks and high rise buildings

g. Attractions:

Seaworld Aquarium

Imax cinema

Skydeck Observation Platform

N’Seoul Tower and Namsan: Viewing tower. N’Grill revolving restaurant. 103

Seodaemun Prison

Lotte World Museum Park www.lotteworld.com

h. Other:

Jongno Tower: (LP 101)

Bosin-Gak: Pavillion that houses a bell from 1468. Rung at New Year’s. 101

Insadong-Gil: District with restaurants, teashops & antiques 102

Dongdaemun: the Great Eastern Gate of the Seoul Fortress.

Olympic Swimming Pool

Night cruise

Golf & Indoor driving range

Public Baths and gyms: Dongbang Sauna, Hurest Spa, Itaewon Sauna, Somentation Sauna, World Cup Spoland, Hamilton Sauna, Seoul Mud, California Wow.

Han’s culinary academy: teaches travelers to prepare Korean food

Language Classes: Sogang University, BestFriend Language and Culture Exchange Center

All Inclusive Resorts: Jeju-do SPAmed resort, Jeju-do Ollie Resort, Namhae Hilton Golf Spa Resort (http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/AC/AC_EN_4_2.jsp)

Business Tourism Product:

Seoul Convention Bureau http://www.miceseoul.com/index/indexintro.html

a. Convention centers: There are 11 international convention centers in Seoul with a total capacity of 39,615 persons. COEX (Convention & Exhibition Center in Gangnam) is one of the major convention centers in Seoul. (http://global.seoul.go.kr/global/view/business/bus02_03.jsp)

b. Convention hotels: Renaissance Seoul Hotel (www.renaissance-seoul.com), Grand Hilton Seoul Hotel (www.grandhiltonseoul.com), Seoul Plaza Hotel (www.seoulplaza.co.kr)

c. Academy halls: Chongdong Theater - first modern theater in Korea. The only theater in Korea devoted to stage performances. (http://www.chongdong.com/chongdong_english/m01_00_intro.htm)

d. Unique venues: Usell Convention Hall - a dock venue located on the Han River. Offers seating for 300 people on the first floor and 200 people on the second floor. Elfee Hall, located in Usell, offers seating for 300 people on the first floor and 150 people on the second floor. (http://www.brandrepublic.asia/CEI/newsarticle/2009_02/Seouls-best-off-site-venues/34273)

e. Hotels: Lotte Hotel Seoul, Imperial Palace Hotel, Millenium Seoul Hilton, Best Western premier Seoul Garden Hotel, JW Marriot Seoul, The Western Chosun, Park Hyatt Seoul, Grand InterContinental Seoul, COEX InterContinental Seoul, Lotte Jamsil, The Ritz-Carlton, Novotel Ambassador Gangnam, Hotel Ibis Seoul (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/events/calendarofevents/calendarofevents.jsp?cid=128&sid=1845) and (http://www.smarttravelasia.com/Seoul.htm)

Sports/Major Event Tourism Product:

a. World Cup Stadium: Completed for the 2002 FIFA Korea/Japan World Cup. Seats 60,000. (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/attractions/modernseoul/modernseoul.jsp?cid=88&sid=937

b. Mokdong Sports Stadium: (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/attractions/modernseoul/modernseoul.jsp?cid=88&sid=939)

c. Jasmil Sports Complex (includes Olympic Stadium): (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/attractions/modernseoul/modernseoul.jsp?cid=88&sid=938

d. Ski/Snowboard Hills: Bears Town Ski Resort and Star Hill Ski Resort (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/events/calendarofevents/calendarofevents.jsp?cid=128&sid=1836)

Packaging Product:

Include an overview description of your chosen destination from a credible web site: "Seoul has been the capital of Korea for about 600 years, since the time of the Joseon Dynasty(1392-1910). Seoul was referred to as “Han Yang” during the Joseon Dynasty, but after the liberation from Japan, in 1945, the newly founded Republic of Korea officially changed its capital city’s name to Seoul. Seoul has developed into a bustling metropolis, acting as the hub for political, economic, social, and cultural matters. The Han River runs through the heart of the city. The river divides the city in two; the northern part of the city is a focal point for culture and history, while the southern part is well known for its business district. Seoul has hosted many international events including: 1986 Asian Games, 1988 Olympic Games and 2002 Korea/Japan FIFA World Cup. The success of these events has shown people that Korea is truly an international city. In Seoul you can find ancient palaces and Royal Shrines of the Joseon Dynasty, as well as Seoul World Cup Stadium, 63 CITY building, Lotte World, Han River, Namsan, Bukhansan Mountain National Park, Daehangno, Insa-dong, Itaewon, Myeong-dong, Apgujeong, Namdaemun and Dongdaemun Markets. On the outskirts of Seoul you can find Seoul Land, Everland, Caribbean Bay, The Korean Folk Village, Suwon Hwaseong Fortress, and Namhansan Mountain Fortress." (http://asiaenglish.visitkorea.or.kr/ena/SI/SI_EN_3_6.jsp?cid=309381)

Research Report (Gill, Kerry, Mat)

Air access summary:

Airport Name: Incheon International Airport

Airport Code: ICN

Address: 2850 Unseo-dong, Jung-gu, Incheon City 400-700, Republic of Korea

Ranked as one of the top and technologically advanced airports in the world, Inecheon International Airport is the main gateway for international tourist coming to Seoul. The airport is located 52 km (cca. 1.5 hour) west from Seoul's centre. It can accommodate all types of aircrafts, and is sixth busiest airport in Asia (Seoul Global Center). It is often used as a connection airport for other parts of Northeast Asia (Seoul Global Center). The airport has all the amenities that any major international airport would have. This includes meeting halls, restaurants, duty-free shops, hotels, transportation, and money exchange (Seoul Global Center). Korea City Air Terminal (KCAT) is located in the World Trade Center Seoul (WTCS) Complex, which is located in Southern Seoul, and provides check in and passport services (Official Seoul Tourism Website). Airport Departure Tax tickets can be purchased here for 50% off (Official Seoul City Tourism Website). There is a train, the Airport Railroad Express (AREX), that travels from the airport to downtown Seoul (Korea Tourism Organization). There is also an Airport Bus that travels from the airport to downtown Seoul (Korea Tourism Organization). Without traffic, the Airport Bus can reach downtown Seoul within an hour (Korea Tourism Organization). There are two major airlines, Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, which offer a domestic flight network that allows you to travel to 13 major cities in Korea within an hour (Seoul Global Center). There are also 57 international airlines that service 130 destinations (Seoul Global Center).

Gimpo International Airport is another airport located in Seoul that deals mainly with domestic flights, as Incheon International Airport handles mostly international flights (Official Seoul City Tourism Website). In terms of international flights, this airport is mainly used by tourist flying to/from nearby Asian countries like Japan and China (Official Seoul City Tourism Website). Subway line 5 can be taken right to Gimpo International Airport in 45 minutes (Korea Tourism Organization). The AREX will take you from Incheon to Gimpo in 28 minutes by commuter train or 33 minutes by express train (Korea Tourism Organization). Seoul also has nine local airports with Asiana Airlines (Seoul Global Center).

In 2006, Incheon International Airport had the capacity for 28 million passengers and 2.3 million tons of air cargo. By 2020, they expect to have the capacity for 100 million passengers and 7 million tons of air cargo (Seoul Global Center).

Sources: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/GK/GK_EN_2_2_2_3.jsp http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/planningvisit/transportation/transportation.jsp?cid=56&sid=556 http://global.seoul.go.kr/global/view/business/bus02_03.jsp

Demographics

Number of Hotels in Seoul: 4,111 in 2005 (http://stat-app.seoul.go.kr/sws/sws999P.jsp?ID=DT_JB1TAB&IDTYPE=3&A_LANG=2&FPUB=3&SELITEM=)

Number of Foreign Tourists by Nationality in 2005

Japan: 2,439,809

United States: 530,629

Taiwan: 709,836

Overseas Residents: 280,453

Others: 2,061,037

Total: 6,021,764

Source: (http://stat-app.seoul.go.kr/sws/sws999P.jsp?ID=DT_JC0TAB&IDTYPE=3&A_LANG=2&FPUB=3&SELITEM=)

Demographic and Psychographics description that fits all leisure tourism product your destination offers. You likely have product for many different audiences, identify all of the audiences and what product in particular suits them (ie seniors, students, young affluent travelers, families, people who like outdoor adventure, wellness, etc):

Seoul is more well known to Asian travelers than to overseas and European tourists. Seoul's primary market consists of tourists from Asian countries such as Japan and Taiwan. In 2005, 2 439 809 Japanese tourists and 709 835 tourists from Taiwan travelled to Seoul (Seoul Metropolitan Government). It is possible that a large portion of tourists from this demographic are baby boomers, as they have disposable income which can be used for traveling. Also, travelers interested in discovering other Asian cultures seeking to explore the rich culture and history of Seoul are included in this demographic. Seoul's historical sights offer a perfect opportunity for this group. In addition, these tourists may be attracted to the facilities built for the 1988 Summer Olympic Games and FIFA World Cup.

Students and young adventurers offer an additional market for tourism in Seoul. In 2005, 530 629 tourists from the United States and 280 453 tourists travelled from overseas to Seoul (Seoul Metropolitan Government). Young North Americans and Europeans whom are interested in both culture and entertainment such as nightlife, sports facilities, and exotic cuisine are likely to travel to Seoul. These tourists are possibly visiting Seoul to learn about local traditions such as the Lotus Lantern Festival. Palaces, temples and museums provide another attraction to this tourist group. Also, the multiple convention centers and high class hotels provide incentive for business and high income individuals to travel to Seoul.

Source: (http://stat-app.seoul.go.kr/sws/sws999P.jsp?ID=DT_JC0TAB&IDTYPE=3&A_LANG=2&FPUB=3&SELITEM=)

Summary list of total square footage meeting space and number of hotel rooms your destination offers (secure from credible website – ie a tourist bureau site):

"The city is now considered a first-class venue for international meetings. Seoul is, indeed, the second-most popular international convention destination in Asia and the tenth-most popular in the world, with plenty of professional know-how and human resources in this area. Along with COEX, ranking tenth among the world’s convention centers, the metropolitan area offers 53 international conference venues including hotel meeting halls, 17,343 rooms in 5-star and 4-star hotels, 7,841 rooms in 3-star and 4-star hotels, and 2,121 rooms in hotel-style long-term accommodation facilities."

Source: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/BU/BU_EN_9_3_3_1_1.jsp

Summary list of major event venues that can host your sports/major events that you are trying to secure:

1. World Cup Stadium: Completed for the 2002 FIFA Korea/Japan World Cup. Seats 60,000. (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/attractions/modernseoul/modernseoul.jsp?cid=88&sid=937

2. Mokdong Sports Stadium: (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/attractions/modernseoul/modernseoul.jsp?cid=88&sid=939)

3. Jasmil Sports Complex (includes Olympic Stadium): (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/attractions/modernseoul/modernseoul.jsp?cid=88&sid=938

4. Olympic Park (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/events/calendarofevents/calendarofevents.jsp?cid=128&sid=1765)

5. Dongducheon Stadium (http://english.visitseoul.net/visit2007en/events/calendarofevents/calendarofevents.jsp?cid=128&sid=1765)

6. Hyochang Stadium (http://stadium.seoul.go.kr/stadium_eng/new/0204.html)

Convention Venues:

1.COEX

COEX is a large multi-purpose centre. The newest building which contains a ballroom can accommodate 1800 people. The capacity of an auditorium on the third floor is 1070 seats. There are other smaller conference rooms on upper floors. The centre is equipped with the latest technology. Other parts of COEX are shopping mall, multiplex theatre, aquarium, bookstore, etc. The centre is located close to hotels and casinos.

2. AT Center

Opened ten 11 years ego, AT Centre is modern conference centre capable to handle international exhibitions, conventions and business meetings. The centre can offer various amenities such as restaurants, commercial center and hospital. There are two exhibition halls and three conference rooms which capacity is up to 450 people.

3. Seoul Trade Exhibition Center (SETEC)

SETEC was introduced in 1999 and it can be considered as a world class exhibition centre. The capacity of conference halls is form 30 up to 300 people.

references: http://english.visitkorea.or.kr/enu/BU/BU_EN_9_3_3_1_2.jsp#sub2 Major Events:

1. Seoul Fashion Week: Promotes Korea's fashion industry and presents designer's top collection lines. (http://www.seoulfashionweek.org/main/)

List your top six geographic markets world-wide (countries, not cities):

1. Japan 2. United States 3. Taiwan 4. Germany 5. Australia 6. China

Brand (Jarrett & ???)

Discuss your brand, design a logo, and design a phrase (ie Heart of the New West). Provide a minimum two page justification for the brand, what it is based on, how you expect it to help attract tourists to your destination, what if anything you need to coach the local residents on, and why you believe it will work. I will be reading this as a person who likes to travel, and you need to convince me that what you promise in your brand, you will deliver on.

Seoul – “Cutting-edge Attractions, Traditional Hospitality”

Western Branding Strategy

Korea’s identity is largely unknown to the western international community. When asked about it, the typical western person will make reference to the Korean War (and many confuse aspects of the Korean War and the Vietnam War). Western citizens are also largely unaware of the culture, traditions, and high-tech achievements of the South Korean people. Our aim is to promote South Korea (specifically Seoul) as a safe comfortable and culture-rich destination that gives western tourists the traditional cultural experiences of Asia, without sacrifices in modern comforts, and yet still at competitive prices.

With our phrase, “Cutting-edge attractions, Traditional Hospitality” we are intending to express these concepts while highlighting Korean hospitality. Though Korean hospitality is largely unknown to the Western world, it is a part of the Korean psyche and social fabric; and as this is the case, no specific coaching of the locals is required. Korean’s are most likely to be hospitable to western foreigners rather than Chinese or Japanese tourists. Due to historical and contemporary tensions (coupled with the fact that it is much more difficult for a Korean to recognize a Chinese or Japanese tourist, than it is for them to notice a Canadian one, for instance).

English tourists in Korea are in for a pleasant surprise, when they find out that most signs are in both “hangul” (Korean characters) and in English. Their transportation system is designed in a way that it is extremely easy for an English-speaking person to navigate it. Private businesses and the large “Chaebol” (huge corporations like Samsung and Lotte) tend to offer services in English; even small sole proprietors are able to communicate in English (sometimes surprisingly well).

The continuing tensions between North and South Korea are a serious threat to the tourism industry in Korea. Though the two nations are still technically at war, this miniature cold war is relatively uneventful and non-violent. Though one cannot foresee with certainty the continuing stability of the 50-year-old ceasefire, all indicators suggest that continued non-violence is likely. Commercial tours and manufacturing cooperative have recently been initiated between the two sides bolstering the movement towards lasting peace.

Because Seoul it approximately 50 KM south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) and is the centre of South Korean Government and economy, it provides some unique opportunities for travel that are not available anywhere else in the world. With our branding efforts we will strive to promote the concept that Seoul not only has a wealth of historical and contemporary attractions, but is also a perfectly safe destination to visit.

Asian Branding Strategy

Throughout Asia Korea is seen as a template for modernization, because of its unprecedented growth from the 1050’s, when the economy was one of the lowest in the world, until the 1990’s when Korean economic expansion slowed from record-breaking to merely stable increases. Significant promotion of business travel from the surrounding countries and the international private and public organizations is a vital source of highly profitable business travelers.

Because of Korea’s Geographical position – A peninsula that links China Japan and Russia together, it is in a unique position to operate as an intermediary between these massive economies. Due to historical and contemporary political tensions between Korea’s neighbors, Seoul is a natural neutral territory for meetings between these nations. For the past 50 years South Korea has enjoyed a close relationship with the United States, and though it is not geographically close to the US, its strong political and economic ties allow Seoul to be an intermediate between the US and the rest of Asia. The Korean populace is one of the most educated in the world, and shows specific competence in the study of foreign languages; this surplus of foreign-language speakers only solidifies Korea’s position as an intermediate between major powers.

Cultural attractions in Seoul are very enticing to Chinese and Japanese tourists, but for different reasons. For the Chinese cultural tourist, Korean Confucian/Buddhist and Shamanistic temples are the main draw, the permissive religious culture of the Korean culture and government is in stark contrast to the restrictive religious controls in China. Since China and Korea had very similar religious practices before the communist revolution, Chinese citizens can experience their own own legacy vicariously through cultural travel to Seoul. We intend to aggressively promote cultural/religious travel to Seoul from China. The draw for Japanese cultural tourists is more related to the historical attractions, Japanese contributions to Korea during the period that Korea became an annexed protectorate of Japan. Additionally, the palaces of Japan are not open to the public, the palace grounds are open but since the emperor still resides in the palace entrance is forbidden. Korea’s palaces are all open or semi-open to the public offering a firsthand experience that is unavailable in Japan.

The “hallyu” (or Korean Wave) is a recent phenomenon in Asia; it refers to the explosion of Korean pop culture exports. The Asian market has fully embraced Korean film, television and music; the Korean wave has created an entertainment industry in South Korea (centered in Seoul) in the last 5 years that shows extremely rapid growth. Package tours and museums for ‘Korean Wave’ attractions are emerging at a rapid rate, and are drawing an influx of visitors from Asia and other regions of South Korea to Seoul. We intend to use the ‘Korean Wave’ as a media vehicle when promoting the Korean brand in Asia; not only attracting ‘Korean Wave’ enthusiasts, but also to showcase attractions and culture to the world.

Detailed marketing/sales plan for EACH of the four areas (Jarrett & ???)

(if you are unfamiliar with the format and content of a marketing/sales plan, search the web for free templates. A site that seemed to have a lot of info is businessballs.com but I am sure there are many)

Leisure (group tours)

Business (meeting planners)

Sports/Major Events (weekend minor sports, major sports as well as potential for major events, for example the JUNOs)

Consumers/Weekend Packaging

Media (Journalists)/Public Relations Plan (Steph & Min)

Provide 6 projects with detailed plans on how to generate free media (journalists, not travel media) and public relations (ie flipping pancakes in Tampa and closing down the New York Stock Exchange). Describe the project, what you will do, who you will invite, why you think it will get media attention and what you hope to accomplish by doing each one. Remember, different projects can have different goals – some are for media attention, some are for “shock” factor to create an impression or pique an interest (like horses down Wall Street), some are to create good will, etc.

Write a sample media release for each project which you would distribute to media newsrooms (ie TV, radio, magazine and newspaper news rooms) to tell them about what you are doing and why you think they should come out and cover your story. Use the 5 Ws approach in each release: who, what, where, when and why.

A. “Korean Wave” star fan meeting

Korean pop and soap operas are popular in various Asian countries such as China and Japan, (Korean Times, 2008) and those countries take most of the visitors to Seoul city. Awareness of Seoul in those regions is highly important for Seoul to gain constant visits. Star fan meeting hosted by Korean Tourism Organization (equivalent to Canada’s CTC) of these Korean Wave star figures would draw huge attention from media.

Specifically, Korean Soap Opera star Bae Yong-jun, Jang Dong-gun and Lee Young-ae are three of the most adored Korean star figure in Japan and China. (Korean Tourism Organization, 2006) Moreover, those stars are contracted to KTO as Cultural Promotion Ambassador already, so this fan meeting would achieve both consistences to the original promotion and media awareness at the same time. To achieve further media awareness, guerilla format fan meeting can be considered. Not noticing beforehand and going public at the time of the actual event.

Based on the demographics of Korean Wave fans, urban populated district of Shibuya or Harajuku in Tokyo and Tiananmen Square in Beijing can be the perfect place to hold this fan meeting. Huge teaser marketing campaign booth only stating the date of the event can draw attention beforehand, and when it actually happens that day, the teaser marketing itself would draw interests from media.

• Media Release: “Seoul, Korea

“Korean Wave (Hallyu)” stars met their global fans throughout Asia today.

A week ago a black box with just the date of today was placed in Shibuya Street in downtown Tokyo, Tiananmen Square in Beijing, and Chong Shan Blvd. in downtown Shanghai. Later with the logo of Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) and their global slogan, “Cutting-edge Attractions, Traditional Hospitality” added, curiosity increased concerning the content of box.

Today, at 12:00pm, all the boxes were opened and “Korean Wave Star” Jang Dong-gun, Bae Yong-jun, and Lee Young-ae appeared on the platform. Their fans were fascinated and gathered around the stage, savoring their extraordinary opportunity to meet these star figures. Three stars spent more than four hours with their fans, taking pictures and giving autographs to the fans. Some of Bae Yong-jun’s fans, in Japan, cried with tears to see real “Yon-sama” (‘sama’ is an honorific suffix in Japan). Lee Young-ae found it almost impossible to get out of the site, with so many crowds calling ‘Chang-jin’ (Lee’s name in one of the historical TV series aired throughout Asia and even in USA).

A spokesman from KTO said that this event was “planned as a promotion to Korean Wave culture as well as an effort to get closer to neighbors”, and vowed to have events of these sorts constantly across Asia.

B. Fireworks in Lunar New Year’s Day

Every Chinese city celebrates Lunar New Year’s Day heavily. One process of the celebration is fireworks. (Kroll Travel, 2007) The fireworks are too heavy that sometimes Chinese Authority has to regulate the amount of fireworks sold. In promoting Seoul, supplying fireworks and hosting the biggest firework show ever is one way to drag media attention. Since Chinese population is keen on those fireworks, they would want to know what the fireworks were all about. To make the most of the fireworks, major cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Macau can be the perfect location to do the fireworks.

This promotional program is also extendable to Japan and USA. Since there is quite much Chinese population in those countries, KTO can work with local city authorities to permit fireworks, and present firework shows in those countries at the Lunar New Year’s day. This would draw attentions from both Chinese populations in the city as well as the local citizens.

• Media Release: “Beijing, China

Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) held an extraordinary firework shows on Lunar New Year’s Day, including four major cities of China. Six cities KTO operated fireworks were Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and LA. These firework shows were meant to be celebrating Lunar New Year’s Day, which is a cultural start of New Year in most part of East Asia, KTO says. Chinese people have tradition of celebrating New Year with fireworks.

Many citizens gathered to watch these firework shows, albeit many residents returned to their home in rural areas. In Tokyo and LA, where Lunar New Year’s Day is not usually counted as a start of New Year, citizens gathered to watch the fireworks and mingled with other Asian people, celebrating their own Lunar New Year’s Day. Lunar New Year holidays last a week in China.

C. Korean Cuisine Exposition

Korean cuisine is in fashion these days, in various countries. This is especially apparent in western cultures such as North America and Europe. (JoongAng Daily, 2009) Cuisine is one of the major reasons why people travel, and the importance is growing. Hosting Korean Cuisine Exposition in Major US and European Cities can draw media interest into it. The point of this exposition is getting general public involved, making it not just an event for small number of people in related business area but include the whole population to be the great media drag. Growing interest and high cost of Korean Cuisine would guarantee general public’s interest in the exposition. (JoongAng Daily, 2009) The main plan is to have exquisite dishes as well as street foods. Street foods are some of the experience foreigners would eager to get, and interest many of them to come to Seoul as tourists. Public and media’s interest in the various Korean foods would promote Korean and Seoul Tourism as well.

This promotion is especially aimed at attracting travelers from European region, which is still growing market for Korean tourism. Therefore, expositions would be placed in Paris, which is growing interest in Korean Cuisine and ready to travel at the same time, and London and Berlin, which is a main departing point of flights from Europe to Seoul. However, at the same time, New York is one of the main destinations of this exposition in that it is one of World’s gourmet capitals.

• Media Release: “Paris, France

Korean Cuisine Exposition will be held on the west bank of Seine river of Paris starting next week. This event, hosted by Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) is intended to meet the growing interest toward Korean cuisine in Europe and US. Various foods, not only foods served in restaurants but also street foods are going to be in the Expo. KTO’s spokesman referred to this Expo as “an excellent opportunity to get to know and experience Korean cuisine”.

Starting on next Friday (24 April) entrance will be allowed from 10:00am to 4:00pm, for the entrance fee of €5. Entrance tickets can be used as lottery tickets for a chance to win a travel package to Seoul for three days. The Expo lasts until Sunday (26 April). Paris Expo is a start of every other expos also going to take place in Berlin and New York City. KTO is ambitiously promoting Seoul as a destination of “Cutting-edge Attraction, Traditional Hospitality”.

D. Cherry Blossom Festival

Every April over 2.5 million people flock to the Cherry Blossom Festival in Seoul, providing us with an ideal opportunity to take a different approach to introducing visitors to the Festival. This plan includes inviting the public to visit the kilometers surrounding the Cherry Blossom Festival during the evening and night, providing a lesser known experience to the public. The trees and walkways would be covered with miniature white lights, to provide guidance for tourists around the grounds and exhibitions. This plan would also involve attaining some of the performers and exhibitors to stay during the evening, presenting a warm and exciting once-in-a-lifetime occasion. The goal of this plan would be to create an impression to residents of Seoul, as well as worldwide visitors that Seoul is safe, welcoming and romantic.

• Media Release: “Seoul, Korea.

Have you ever taken a moment to truly stop and smell the flowers? The stunning 1400 cherry blossom trees in full bloom are only one of the spectacular sights that Seoul has to offer. Over 2.5 million visitors come every year to partake in the breathtaking beauty of this natural phenomenon.

Starting April 2nd, 2010, visitors will have the opportunity to experience the Cherry Blossom Festival in a completely unique aspect. Each evening, the 6 kilometer boulevard will be alight with thousands of lights, providing a breathtaking experience at the Festival during the evening. Although thousands of pictures exists of the pink and white blossoms fluttering during the day, the evening view and experience is not to be missed.

All of the fair festivities that visitors enjoys during the day will also be available during the evenings, including exhibits, musical and dance performances, and vendors selling food, beverages and other goodies. All ages are welcome, as there will be activities for everyone in attendance to enjoy.

This invitation is being extended to members of the press to gain photographs, testimonials, and experience themselves this unique spin on a world-renowned event.”

E. Lock Museum – www.lockmuseum.org

This project will be a contest, consisting of 10 finalists. These finalists will be chosen via an election process on the Lock Museum’s website, allowing viewers to vote for the 10 finalists. Each of the 10 finalists will then choose a key, and at the end of a weekend of sightseeing around Seoul, one of these keys will open a “mystery box.” Inside the box will be a prize for the winner. The goal for this project would be to pique interest in potential visitors who may not have heard about the Lock Museum before, or may not know much about the museum. A contest would be an ideal way to garner attention, firstly because the public would choose the 10 finalists, and secondly because a dramatic contest would be exciting for the members of the press, as well as readers/viewers of the press. This event will also resonate with our brand for Seoul, combining modern aspects with traditional features.

• Media Release: “Seoul, Korea.

Although locks are thought of mostly for their functional purpose, the Lock Museum in Seoul is striving to diversify the way that people look at locks. “A lock is a living piece of art that serves both a practical function of protection and is culture made solid, through which we can divine the characteristics of a society and culture. Lock should be understood as a “cultural organism”, reflecting the nature of a society, rather than as merely a locking devise.” - www.lockmuseum.org

Beginning on Friday, May 1rst, 2009, the Lock Museum will welcome 15 members of the press from around the world to experience first-hand the Museum, and all that Seoul has to offer. After a voting process is completed on the Lock Museum website (closing date April 24th, 2009,) 10 finalists will be chosen by the public. Each of the finalists will choose an individual key. At the end of the weekend one of the chosen keys will unlock a mystery box with a fantastic gift for the owner of that key!

The Lock Museum is located at 187 Dongsung-Dong, Chongro-gu, Taehangno, downtown Seoul. It is undoubtedly one of the world’s finest specialty museums, boasting thousands of collections of keys, locks, and other items that are relatively unseen in Korea today. In addition, the Lock Museum building, designed by architect Seung Hyo-sang, is a well-known landmark in downtown Seoul.

While locks have been used for centuries to protect privacy, they can also be used to add decorative and ornamental worth to furniture and doors. The decoration can take the form of animals, symbols or patterns, representing luck, authority and several other things. Locks can also identify pieces to a particular cultural or historical period, as authentic pieces of anthropological history.”

F. 5th Seoul International Music Competition

This project will involve adding a People’s Choice component to the 5th Annual Seoul International Music Festival. The idea of the Festival is to promote international musicianship, while celebrate the talent of young musicians throughout the world. Along with following the program as usual, a People’s Choice category would be added. This would involve having the finalists after the 2nd round of judging post a video of themselves playing their instrument online. This would allow for people all over the world to participate in the competition by voting for their favorite competitor. The winner would be invited to play onstage during the final Ceremony of Awards. This competition will increase international attention to the Festival, as families and friends of international competitors will be able to connect with the festival.

• Media Release: “Seoul, Korea.

2009 will be the year of the violin in Seoul. The 5th Annual Seoul International Music Festival will provide an international platform for musicians and music lovers alike to experience the beauty of the violin and the talent of performers from around the world.

In addition to the regular schedule of the Festival, a unique aspect will be added this year in the form of a People’s Choice category. After the second round of judging, each remaining contestant will upload a video of themselves playing a piece of music of their choice. Videos will be uploaded to the Festival’s website (www.seoulcompetition.com) and entries will be viewed and voted upon by the public.

The prize? An invitation to play at the Ceremony of Awards concluding the Festival. Entries will be judged according to the public’s preference, so participants should encourage friends and family from around the world to stay up to date on the progress of the Festival.”

Travel Media/FAM plan (Steph & Anu)

Provide 6 plans to host either individual or group familiarization trips.

Design 4 fam trips to be geared to travel writers and/or film/tv producers that make sense for your destination, 1 fam trip for leisure tour operators, and 1 fam trip for meeting planners.

For each fam, show a detailed itinerary assuming they are coming for 3 days and 2 nights. Identify where they are from (ie what media outlet, such as “Outdoor magazine”, or Discovery Channel TV, etc), what you expect to get out of the fam in terms of media coverage, and what dollar value you are targeting. Remember, fams can be organized for groups as well as individuals. For your tour operators and meeting planners, you may want to consider inviting, for example, 6 meeting planners and tour operators since they often want to see similar things (ie convention centers, hotels with meeting space, attractions, etc)

1. Independent, Outdoor Travel Writers This familiarization trip is meant for people interested in exploring all of Seoul’s beauty, both natural and man-made. During this trip a travel writer will visit several temple and palace visits, admiring the architectural and cultural highlights of Seoul. This familiarization trip is intended for members of the media from more independent, outdoor, international outlets. The travel writer will visit Seoul for three days, and two nights, with their activities planned out in the following itinerary. In this plan, the travel writer will be able to come and go as they please, with a hired taxi car to chauffer them around the city in between locations. In terms of media coverage, we hope to gain around $150,000 worth of media coverage by having the travel writer visit Seoul. We also hope to inform and influence members of a new market, who are interested in an adventurous and independent vacation to visit Seoul.

Itinerary: Day 1 Full day spend at Changdeogung Palace complex and Insadong Street. The palace has been named a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site. The complex is comprised of gardens, parks, halls, and palaces. There are also beautiful shrines and sculptures to observe, while exploring the 78 acre complex. Insadong Street is nearly, and is home to several amazing, shops, restaurants, gift stores, and galleries. There are many places along Insadong for a tourist to stop and have some refreshments. During the evening, a visit to the Namsan Cable Car and a ride over Seoul will be an ideal way to end the evening. The fully glass cable cars provide an unbeatable view of the city.

Day 2 A tour of the sights that downtown Seoul has to offer. In the morning, a visit to Lotte World. It is a theme park that contains rides, an ice rink, parades, a folk museum, and a lake, all accentuated by the natural light let in by the structure of the building. Visitors can also enjoy movies and performances, food and drinks and gorgeous walkways throughout the park. During the afternoon, travel writers will visit Deoksungung Palace, which is world renowned for its stone wall road and the elegant and unique surrounding scenery. The palace is centuries old, and is a unique contrast to the bustling downtown with its serenity and old world beauty. Day 3 The final day of this trip will consist of a visit to the Mt. Bukhansan National Park, in the Northern part of Seoul. The mountain is 78.45 kilometers wide, is split into six districts. The park combines valleys, rivers, trees, flowers and wildlife, and has some of the most breathtaking views in Seoul. One of the mountain peaks in particular will be visited, Insubong, which is 600 meters about sea level and has an unmatched view of Seoul and the surrounding area. Bukhansanseong is a fortress that will also be visited, along with several temples that are located along the hiking paths. Mt. Bukhansan National Park is an ideal place to visit, as it showcases the natural beauty of Seoul, and is close enough to the city to spend a wonderful day of hiking. 2. Artistic, Relaxing, Cultural This familiarization trip will be targeted towards visitors who have higher budgets, and enjoy relaxing and being pampered on their vacations. This trip will involve visiting several spas, shops and boutiques, allowing guests to experience the luxurious aspects that Seoul has to offer. Invited will be members of the press from magazines such as Harper’s Bazaar and Redbook, targeting wealthy women readers. This familiarization trip will take place over the span of three days and two nights, with transportation between venues being looked after by our DMO.

3. Meeting Planners This familiarization trip is targeted to meeting and conference planners. The focus would be to show five meeting planners from all over the world, the different spaces and buildings that Seoul has available to conferences of all sizes. Over the course of three days, the meeting planners will be escorted around the city and shown different venues for meetings, restaurants, and general sightseeing available in Seoul. The hope that we have Is that each of these meeting planners will returns, and book conferences of different sizes in Seoul, providing us with $300,000 worth of revenue from the meetings and conferences.

Marketing and Sales Budget (Min & Mat)

You have a total of $3,000,000 to spend. The budget must indicate how much goes to each of the sales divisions, the media/pr division, the travel media division and branding costs. While I would like some detail on spending that matches your marketing/sales plans, and other initiatives, I am not looking for a line by line budget. But each major area must identify what you think the main costs are – ie salaries, advertising, travel costs, promotional materials, e-marketing/web costs, etc

• Sales

• Total Budget: $300000
  • Salaries: $44000 * 2 (yearly)
  • Traveling Expense: $15000 on traveling expense for sales department.
  • Promotional materials: the rest of the sales budget will be used for brochures, leaflets, fliers, gift packages, and promotional items.

• PR/Media

• Total Budget: $1.3M
  • Salaries: $75000 * 1 (Marketing manager) + $55000 * 1 (PR Person) (yearly)
  • A. Fan meeting: $25000 * 3 (Guarantee for fan meeting) + $10000 * 3 (On-site operating cost) + ($400 + $300 + $300) * 2 + $500 * 6 (Traveling Expenses) = $110000
  • B. Fireworks: $50000 * 6 (Inventories) + $10000 * 6 (Hiring Expenses) + ($400 + $300 + $300 +$1600) + $500 * 6 (Traveling Expenses) = $365600
  • C. Korean Cuisine Exposition: $150000 * 3 (On-site prep) + ($1800 + $1600 + $1600) * 2 + $700 * 6 (Traveling Expenses) = $464200
  • D-F: Cherry Blossom Festival, Lock Museum, and 5th Seoul Int’l Music Festival.
    • Since all of these events are taking place in Seoul during certain period of time, we are going to invite foreign media to report these events. We are going to pay for their travel expenses, accommodations, guidance, and gift packages for media crews from US, Canada, Japan, China, Taiwan, Germany, France, and England.
    • The rest of the PR/Media budget would be assigned for these events.

• Travel Media

• Total Budget: $100000
  • Salaries: $46000 * 1 (yearly)
  • Basic travel costs for six FAM trips (2 per team on average) : $1100 * 12 (tickets) + $150 * 12 * 3 (Accommodation) + $500 * 12 (Gift Package) + $2000 * 6 (Guide & Transportation) = $37950
  • The rest of travel media budget will be spent on serving media reporters, i.e. providing commodities for reporter room.
  • Cost of accommodation and dinners can be leveraged by collaboration with local hotels and restaurants, as well as cost of flight tickets and entrance fee.

• Branding

• Total Budget: $1.3M
  • Salaries: $46000 * 2 (yearly)
  • Magazine Ads: $2500 * 12 * 9
    • Specialty travel magazines in 6 different western countries (Australia, US, Canada, England, France, and Germany) and 3 Asian countries (China, Japan, and Taiwan). The average cost for magazine ads is $2500 per month (depends on size and demographics).
  • TV Ads: $100000 * 2 + $300000 (Production cost)
    • Average cost of TV ads for 30-second is $100000 (not on prime-time).
    • TV ads are on countries which will be the most effective, specifically US and Japan.
  • Website: $30000 (development and maintenance)
  • Outdoor billboards: $50000 * 4 (billboard placement with installation) + $5000 (production)
    • On busiest highways (i.e. traffic junctions) nearby New York, LA, Tokyo, and Beijing
  • Online Promotion/Ads: PPC (Pay per Click) ads, banners, and search-engine optimization. The rest of the branding budget is invested into online promotions, since these non-traditional marketing vehicles are gaining on importance day by day. $203000.

Executive Summary (Anu & ???)

Take all parts of your detailed plan and summarize it into a two-page executive summary that highlights everything you will do with your $3M.

The easiest way to approach this is to act as if your CEO asked your team for a high-level business plan/budget. This is very common during a budgeting process in that a CEO wants to know the summary of your plans and what they will cost. Your requested amount then goes into the overall budget for the organization. At this early stage, a CEO is rarely interested in your tactics. In the corporate world though, be prepared to defend your plan as a marketing/sales budget is often the first one to be cut or reduced. So your plans must be solid and based in logic, not emotion. (ie this is the return we expect to get versus we “think” this would be a fun thing to do).

All the rest of the details of your plan would form your team’s work plan for the year and this is what, in the corporate world, you would be measured against in terms of your chances for promotion, increased compensation and any possible bonus if a bonus structure exists. (Which it usually does in sales and marketing).

Think about it like this: If the same CEO came to you after giving your team approval for the $3M and said “now show me exactly how you intend to spend the $3M”, you would hand in your detailed plan outlining everything you proposed to do, how much each area would spend, and what you expected to see in return. So, this two page executive summary actually forms the first two pages of your project, with all your details behind it.