Seoul homestays focus on marketing
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Seoul City Government has ceased direct operations of its city-wide homestay programme to concentrate on marketing instead. The city government launched the Seoul Global Family (SGF) initiative back in December 2009 in cooperation with the Seoul Tourism Organization to boost homestay availability in the city.
In total, 457 hosts were certified under the scheme as authorities tried to develop low cost accommodation option across the capital. However the programme has failed to take-off. Only 588 foreigners entered the programme in its 19-month lifespan, staying with 364 hosts while more than 90 had no visitors at all. With the network already established, authorities are now focusing on marketing the scheme to raise awareness of the homestay options and make the sector profitable.
Therefore, it has handed over operations to six travel agencies in the city. However the city government has been criticised by its hosts who informed the Korea Times that they received little information on developments.
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