Recently Whit Altizer, a staffer in BTD's Asia office, participated in a FAM tour in Korea sponsored by the Korean Tourism Organization and new local tour operator
bikeOasis. BikeToursDirect now offers a tour in Korea with bikeOasis that starts on
October 26. Whit spent time this summer with operator Beom Seok Choi pedaling though the valleys of Korea and talking late into the night over glasses of soju. The following is an interview Whit conducted with Beom Seok.
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Beom Seok Choi has cycled all of the completed biking trails in Korea.[/caption]
Beom Seok Choi: With the extensive building of new segregated bike trails (well over 2,000 km) around Korea in the past couple of years, led by the central government, all kinds of services related to bike touring are in demand for local as well as foreign travelers. We see our role to supplement the new bike infrastructure in Korea with our professional services, ranging from operation of guided tours to providing information to foreign tourists.
BTD: Why do you think Korea is THE new destination for cycling? BSC:
The excellent network of bike trails, the beautiful nature, delicious Korean food, friendly people everywhere, safe security in the cities and the countryside alike, the variety of landscapes, and the changing scenery from four distinct seasons -- this combination and more create an ideal environment where even experienced bicycle tourists will get a pleasant surprise on two wheels. Korea is quite unique as a tourist destination but even more so for bike travelers, guaranteed! BTD: What is your favorite 50 kms of Korea's bike paths? BSC: It's a difficult question to answer because there are several bicycle paths that are my favorite. You know there are over 2,000 kms of well-paved trails that are dedicated solely to bikes in Korea. And as one rides along these trails, the rider will experience such diverse scenery within a relatively short distance. It's something like tasting delicious orange, banana, pear, strawberry, kiwi....it's difficult to say which tastes better than the others.
However, if I have to chose one, then it would be Namhangang (Namhan River) Route from Paldang Bridge to Yeoju. Disused railroad was turned into a bike path and it goes through beautiful villages, natural attractions and historic sites. It crosses several bridges and also passes several tunnels, including the 260m long Bongan Tunnel.
BTD: At what point did you realize that Korea's bike paths could be a tourist attraction? BSC: In my personal view, Korea has several disadvantages as a tourist destination. To take some examples, its neighboring country, China, has been known worldwide for its history, culture and its grand scale. Another neighbor, Japan, has attracted international tourists because of its mystic images and as the richest country in Asia. Korea's location in the far corner of Asia, like Ireland in Europe, requires foreigners to make an extra effort to visit. But then the Korean government launched its ambitious project to build segregated bicycle trails around the country - by 2015, there will be more than 3,000 km of trails built. This initiative was born not out of blue but with the changing attitude and mind of the Korean people toward the natural environment. Better late than never, the focus and the interest of Korea are rapidly shifting from its industrial successes to protecting the nature and the earth. And as you would agree, this goes hand in hand with the global trend.
At this point, I realized that Korea could be a new star destination for international bicycle tourism. Korea is a small country surrounded by seas and covered by mountains. There are many rivers, big and small, where many new well-paved bike trails go along. These trails also pass many small villages where people are friendly and welcoming. I am very confident that anybody who ventures to come to Korea for a bike trip will be pleasantly surprised.
BTD: What is your 5-year plan for BikeOasis? BSC:
We are still at a very early stage of bicycle tourism in Korea and as a pioneering company in this area, bikeOasis has several short- and long-term plans. Our short-term projects include developing several cycling tours around Korea that serve the interests and demand of international clients. We are also building professional teams and a system for safe and satisfactory tour operations. Next month we will launch "Seoul City Bike Tour along Han River - Day & Night." It's surprisingly the first such program operated in Korea! On a more long-term plan, we will gradually develop outbound tours for Korea's cyclists with our international partners. The population of Korea is 50 million, and 10 million own bicycles. The extensive bike trails around Korea also serve local riders, but many of them eventually want to experience bicycle trips abroad. Actually, bikeOasis Korea is already receiving inquiries on such tours. BTD: What is your philosophy or approach to developing a riding program? BSC: Bicycle tourism is different from other conventional types of tourism - its emphasis is or should be more on eco-tourism. People want to be closer to nature, culture and people. Hence, a bike tour should incorporate these interests into the program. It's not about speed or distance but wellness and first-hand experience. It's not about destinations but the quality contents between destinations. Team bikeOasis Korea is professionally pursuing this philosophy in its tour programs both in organization and operation. And I believe, Korea provides an ideal environment for such tour programs.
BTD: Who is your ideal client? BSC: We hope to meet all kinds of people from all over the world on our tours. We also hope they are open-minded enough to experience something very different from what they have known. With a 5,000-year history, we Korean people have experienced more tragedies than glories and that's one reason why we are so passionate and kind. Foreign tourists on two wheels will be welcomed everywhere and approached with smiles and Korean-style hospitality. We hope that our clients will come to Korea ready for pleasant surprises and leave Korea with life-long memories.
BTD: On a personal note, where would you most like to ride next? BSC: Among so many places, if I have to name one country, I would like go back to New Zealand for a bicycle tour. I was there last
year without a bike and it would be really beautiful to travel around the Kiwi land on two wheels. Interview by Whit Altizer
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Beom Seok Choi has cycled all of the completed biking trails in Korea.[/caption]