The Korea Travel Fiesta 2024, organized by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO) Manila Office, kicked off with a bang on September 7-8, 2024, bringing the vibrant culture and tourism of South Korea to the spotlight. The event, held at the Glorietta Activity Center and Palm Drive Activity Center in Makati City, aimed to promote Korea’s winter season and family travel to interested Philippine travelers.
As the Philippines’ tourism industry continued to grow, the KTO Manila Office saw an opportunity to introduce Korean culture to a wider audience. With the growing popularity of K-pop and Korean dramas in the Philippines, many Filipino travelers were visiting South Korea. The festival featured several interactive booths that showcased K-Pop, K-Beauty, and K-Culture. Visitors could experience free hair and make-up sessions, color analysis, and even write their name in Hangul at the Korean Cultural Center Booth. The wishing well booth allowed visitors to write their Korean travel wishes, which would then float down the screen as snowflakes. The booth also featured a unique interactive experience where visitors could take pictures with a virtual background of Seoul’s iconic landmarks.
K-Pop fans were treated to a special dance reel-making experience at the K-Life booth, where they could create their own dance videos set to popular K-Pop tracks. Meanwhile, photo opportunities were available at the photobooth, where visitors could take pictures with fun props and backdrops inspired by Korean culture. Regional tourism booths for Daegu, Nami Island, Jeollanamdo, and Busan were also set up for interested visitors. These booths offered a glimpse into the unique attractions and experiences that each region has to offer, from stunning natural landscapes to vibrant cityscapes.
The event also featured performances by Korean idols Xiumin from EXO and Punch, as well as talks from guests such as Glaiza de Castro, Buboy Villar, and Kokoy de Santos from Running Man Philippines. The festival’s opening ceremony was kicked off by Xiumin’s electrifying performance, followed by Punch’s soulful rendition of popular K-drama soundtracks. Performances by Wolf’lo, a K-dance team from “Street Woman Fighter 2,” and Chef, a K-performance team, took place on both days.
Attendees could also enjoy exclusive deals on flights and tours and promotions from partner airlines, travel agencies, banks, mobile wallets, and telecommunications companies. In celebration of the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and Korea, select tour packages featured a $75 discount.
To make the event even more memorable, attendees had the chance to win exciting raffle prizes, including round-trip tickets to Korea. The festivities concluded with a closing ceremony featuring the popular Filipino singer Maki.
The Korea Travel Fiesta 2024 was a huge success, attracting a large crowd of enthusiasts who were eager to experience the vibrant culture and tourism of South Korea. The event was a testament to the growing popularity of Korean culture in the Philippines and its potential to become a major player in the global tourism industry.
Tara, Korea na!
