“BLEISURE” travel is a combination of business and leisure travel which has become increasingly popular in the post-pandemic era.
In recent years, South Korea has become a favourite destination for bleisure travel during business trips with a myriad of afterwork leisure activities for everyone to enjoy, which will promote better networking and productivity during your business trip.
Korean travel experience
With its vibrant culture, rich history and modern amenities, South Korea offers the perfect mix of work and play for business travellers. From its bustling cities to scenic countrysides, all types of business travellers can easily integrate leisure activities into their post-meeting outings.
The expectation of leisure can be different for every business traveller. So, here are the top 10 recommendations for even the most picky of travellers to try out in and around Seoul:
> Dress up in traditional Korean hanbok and visit majestic palaces like Gyeongbokgung Palace and Changdeokgung Palace in the city of Seoul.
> Enjoy a relaxing soak at luxury Korean bathhouses, better known as jjimjilbang, such as the Aquafield Spa in Hanam and CIMER Spa in Paradise City Incheon.
> Try out scenic hiking trails in Namsan Park. You can also opt for the Bukhansan National Park if you feel more adventurous.
> De-stress and visit the traditional tea houses in the Jongno area for some herbal tea and a herbal foot soak experience.
> Taste the freshest seafood at the Noryangjin fish market or have some of the best street delicacies at the famous 118-year-old Gwangjang traditional market.
> Enjoy thrilling rides at popular theme parks such as Lotte World in Seoul and Everland Resort in Yongin City.
> Explore vibrant nightlife in Gangnam, known for its bars, clubs and restaurants. And the hit song Gangnam Style by Psy of course.
> Check out K-beauty brands at the popular Myeongdong district for Korean cosmetics and fashion. There are also premium options at any Korean duty-free outlets in the city.
> Escape the bustling business districts and experience the peaceful temple stay programme at beautiful temples such as Bongeunsa Temple and Jogyesa Temple.
> Learn about Korean traditional handicrafts and enjoy the making process at Bukchon Traditional Crafts Centre.
If you’re keen on doing something meaningful with your team members while contributing to local communities, you can take up the challenge to incorporate some corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives for post-meeting programme activation.
South Korea offers a diverse range of programmes for all sorts of business travellers, allowing them to experience the best of both worlds on their bleisure trips, as they’d also be making a positive impact on both local communities and the environment.
To support the local economy and community, business travellers can take a day trip to a regional province to visit the local attractions and traditional markets.
You can even enrol your team for a local Korean cooking class at Jeonggangwon in Pyeongchang county, and try your luck at making bibimbap (Korean mixed rice dish), or learn the art of making makgeolli (fermented rice wine) at Boksoondoga Rice Winery in Ulsan city.
If you’re looking to focus on sustainable travel practices for waste reduction, you can try to avoid using single-use plastics and opt for more eco-friendly alternatives that are made out of recyclable materials to abide by the ESG environmental criteria.
You can participate in other hands-on classes on environmentally-friendly practices in Seoul as well, such as the canvas eco-bag making activity at the Gonggan630 experience class, which offers eco-friendly product making activities that include personalised Korean alphabet elements.
There are also a number of ways you can take part in your own employee volunteer programmes, like taking the time to clean-up the beaches and forests around the city. If you’re up for it you can also conduct fruit-picking activities by approaching fruit or vegetable farms in the outskirts of South Korea, in a bid to help out the local farming communities.
With the current trend of integrating CSR elements in the business travel planning, such a movement is great to add value to your company and enhance the public trust. Not only that, these CSR initiatives are substantial in attracting the younger generation of business travellers. With the country’s focus on sustainability and its rich cultural heritage, South Korea is definitely a destination that should not be missed.
The activities mentioned above can be facilitated with the engagement of any Korean DMCs in South Korea in case of the requirement of a prior authorization or reservation from the corresponding party.
The Korean Tourism Organization (KTO) provides support for international MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) events hosted in South Korea.
For more information, you can email KTO at marketing.ktokl@gmail.com or visit www.koreaconvention.org
