It is my great pleasure to extend a warm welcome to all partlcipate in the 1st KATA Congress & OTF Travel Mart, to be hemd from June 10 Through 12 in Seoul.
Over 600 representatives from home and abroad are expected to participate in this world events, which promise to be the great opportunity to promote the Korean tourism industry prior to Taejon Expo this summer and '94 Visit Korea Year.
Our new President expressed at times he would bring up tourism industry to reach the level of trade business as a strategy one.
Tourism, needless to say, is the probably most lucrative bisiness in the view of the current world-wide trend.
So, we should make a greater efforts for the development of tourism industry, judging from that Korea only records the output of US$ 5billion for the tourism a year while world tourism industry enjoys the US$ 2,500billion annually.
In the past years, Korea has registerd the some deficit of tourism industry since the liberalization of overseas trip.
Acdording to the statics provided by some travelscientist Korea is expected to recored the US$ 7billon~10billion surplus of tourism by 2002 and what id more scores US$ 30billion by 2015.
In addition to economic effect toyrism I believe, will also play a significant role in promoting the better understanding each dther and creating opportunity to promote the national.
The 1st KATA Congress and OTF Travel Mart have global significance as they bring together decission-makers of the international travel industry.
In closing, I sincerity believe this event will be a most beneficial experience for all those involved. "