 |
|
|
 Travel & Outdoors | September 2005 
Jalisco Invites Korean Travelers With Traditional Mexican Charm
 Kim Rahn - Korea Times
Visitors can feel the charm in the atmosphere in Jalisco on the western coast of Mexico, said Horacio Gonzalez Pardo, the state minister of tourism of Jalisco.
Minister Gonzalez arrived in Korea leading a delegation to attract Korean travelers to Jalisco as a part of his Asian tourism promotion.
He and his delegates visited China before coming to Korea, and left the country for their next stops - Japan and Singapore - on Wednesday.
The regional tourism body has visited Korea for three consecutive years.
"The purpose of traveling is to encounter the country’s culture, including architecture and food. But the most important thing is to learn about the people of the nation, and Jalisco is the place where you can meet them in a traditional Mexican setting," said Gonzalez.
Jalisco is famous for its cultural and historical heritage, and it is also a popular tourist attraction for Mexicans. Among the 20 million visitors to the region each year, about 80 percent are Mexicans, while 20 percent are foreign travelers.
Mariachi, a musical style played by a small number of band members, and tequila, the world-famous alcohol, originated in Jalisco.
Architect Luis Barragan, muralist Jose Clemente Orozco, and many Mexican writers came from the region as well.
Guadalajara, the capital of Jalisco, is the second largest city in Mexico after Mexico City. The city has many buildings and plazas that represent both Mexican tradition and Spanish colonial rule.
"Visitors can stay at traditional-style farms. They will also be able to purchase ceramic and glass products and play at various golf courses in Jalisco," Gonzalez said.
The state contains both mountains and beaches. Puerto Vallarta is on a famous Mexican beach along with Cancun, where people can enjoy water sports. The region also has habitats for wild animals as well as traditional residential areas with red roofs and narrow stone alleys.
"It will take at least one week to visit the famous tourist attractions in Jalisco. One week in Jalisco and another week on the beach in Cancun would be a good tourist program," he said.
Mexico, and especially Jalisco, has not been widely introduced to Asian people. The state tourism body will be able to promote Jalisco and the country by taking advantage of Korean movies and soap operas that are popular in Asia, Gonzalez said.
"If Korean films and soap operas are filmed in our region, they will be presented in other Asian countries and help to promote Jalisco. We’ll consider inviting Korean filmmakers and producers to shoot there," he said.
There are no direct flights between the two countries yet. Gonzalez and his delegation had a meeting with Korean Air and Asiana Airlines officials on Tuesday to discuss the opening of a route. |
| |
|
Vallarta Weddings
Tell a Friend
Site Map
Print this Page
Email Us