Korean retailers step up World Cup promotions

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With just two months to go, local retailers are hoping the World Cup period will fulfill its role as a "window to the world" for co-hosts Japan and South Korea. About 200 retailers will participate in the Korea Grand Sale 2002, a sales campaign for foreign visitors during the one-month World Cup period from May 31, the organisers Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO) said this week.

"The special discount period for tourists during the global soccer event at ten World Cup cities, is aimed at attracting more visitors and improving Korea's image. Participating retail outlets will include duty-free shops, department stores, shopping centres, theme parks, beauty shops and art performance centres nationwide," KNTO said.

The event will particularly target Chinese and Japanese visitors who are expected to make up most of the visitors to Korea intending to watch the World Cup finals, and the organisation will run advertisements and feature articles about the event through Chinese and Japanese media outlets, as well as inviting foreign press on a shopping tour.

According to KNTO, 640,000 tourists, including 100,000 Chinese, are expected to visit Korea during the world's largest sports event.

"Estimates that Chinese visitors will spend an average $1,800 per head are much higher than the estimated outlay by other visitors of $600. Chinese visitors are expected to spend up to $180m," the organisers commented. KNTO is distributing application forms to retailers hoping to join the event.

Seoul's Incheon airport is opening World Cup merchandise stores licensed by the Korean World Cup organising committee (KOWOC). In total there will be an estimated 4,100 Korean sales points for World Cup products including department stores, stadium rest areas and on motorways. Another Incheon initiative intended to generate airport revenue is the World Cup lottery in which airport shoppers will have the chance to win flight tickets.

Meanwhile in Japan the government is coordinating a programme of flight and train discounts with operators to encourage add-on tourism. The Construction & Transport Ministry is asking rail companies and airlines to cooperate and will announce special rates by mid-April. Domestic airfares will be halved and there are plans to introduce a JR-Free ticket giving foreign visitors limit-less rail travel.