The award winning airline voted ‘best long haul’ carrier by holidaymakers and the travel and leisure industry, Emirates airlines have just announced their plans to launch new flights to Seoul in South Korea.

The new flight service will not only encourage more holidaymakers wishing to fly to the new destination but it is an exciting move forward by the airline itself who will for the first time run their A380 Airbus plane to the country.

Emirate’s new flight service to South Korea comes after a successful launch of the super jumbo aircraft to London and New York with forthcoming connections to Auckland and Sydney.

Since trade has grown over 150% during the past 5 years within the United Arab Emirates and South Korea, it appears that the new service will further improve business opportunities for corporate travellers.

There is also hope that with the presence of the United Arab Emirate’s A380 in Seoul Airport, it may start to help the South Korean government attempts for making Incheon Airport a major network for air services in Asia.

CEO and Chairman of Emirates, Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum said:

“Seoul has been an extremely successful market for the Emirates since we introduced services in 2005. In 2004, just 37,000 passengers a year travelled between Dubai and Seoul whereas today it is over 260,000. This new aircraft will allow us to further develop this market as well as encourage more tourism and trade to South Korea.”

Almost 1,000 new hotel suites and rooms will be available in South Korea.  This is the result of an arrangement between the Gwangwondo Development Corporation and the InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG).

This move will double the number of hotels in the region as IHG will be able to operate new suites and hotel resorts using the Holiday Inn and InterContinental brand.

The new development will be in the Pyeong Chang district in the Gangwon-do province, which is a well known skiing destination.  It will be made up of three separate areas consisting of the resort village zone, the winter sports zone and the golf and villa zone.

Although the destination is approximately two and a half hours drive from the international airports and Seoul, the journey is soon to be made shorts as an expressway it due to open in 2009.  This would cut the journey by around an hour.

Jan Smits of IHG Asia-Pacific said: “Our brands are expanding rapidly in Asia Pacific and globally.  This growth is reflected here in South Korea where we have been successfully operating for more than 20 years. The signing of these three entities in a single deal is another evidence of that growth and the confidence in South Korea.”

Last year, South Korea received around 6.4 million tourists and approximately a third of those were from Japan.

The new developments are due to complete by the end of June 2009.

Seoul is the capital of Korea and is about 605 sq km in size. It has a population of roughly 10 million, which is a quarter of the country’s population. This is because of the change of the country’s economy from agriculture to industries. Seoul is a good amalgamation of the old and new - tradition and modernity.

When in Seoul, you can visit the traditional gardens and palace which will provide an escape from the cringing crowds and din of urban life.

Places to Stay

Hotel President, The Hyatt, the Shilla and Millennium Hilton are some of the top end hotels to stay. Friend’s Hotel, The Brown’s Hotel and Provista Hotel provide excellent accommodation for the business travellers.

Tips for shoppers

Seoul is a shopper’s paradise offering everything from classic luxury brands to latest fashion trends and much more. Dongdaemun Market is a place frequented by hip shoppers.

Here, shoe sizes are measured in millimeters and clothes in centimeters. Most shops accept international credit cards and have a fixed rate. However, you should keep cash ready in case you decide to shop on the streets. Look out for summer and winter sales which slash the prices to almost half.

Coex Mall is a like any American shopping centre with theme parks as well. This is a perfect destination for the entire family. Kids enjoy all the entertainments while their parents shop.

Seoul is a captivating city, a far cry from the traditional Yi Dynasty that it once belonged to. A most interesting place for a family holiday!