The first direct flight from Korea to Palau post-COVID arrived Saturday, July 29th, with 197 passengers.
Jeju Airlines, a Korean domestic airline, with the support of the South Korean government, started flying directly from Korea to Palau. The three charter flights will be one flight per month from July to September. Each month the charter flight will be a round trip, meaning it will drop off and pick up. After that, according to Minister Ngirai Tmetuchel of the Ministry of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism & Development, more frequent scheduled flights will commence.
Visitors on the island are introduced to many local experiences, including traditional performances, traditional foods, guided tours, and cultural activities.
The profile of a Korean tourist was analyzed and presented to the Palau Visitors Authority Board yesterday for Palau to understand this target market better.
Value-added, quality products and rich cultural experiences are the selling points Korean visitors look at when deciding on a destination.
According to Korean market research, Palau is an expensive destination compared to our neighboring countries and territories such as Guam, Saipan, Philippines, and Maldives. “We have to explain the process, show them why Palau is more expensive, the quality that we offered,” said Minister Ngirai. The Korean customer will choose Palau if they understand the quality of the product Palau offers, the pristine ocean, the rich culture and the cultural experience.
The challenge is for Palau to develop and advertise these quality products and be consistent in delivery. (By: L.N. Reklai)