SEOUL TO BECOME THE MARITIME TOURISM HUB

Seoul 'to Become Maritime Tourism Hub'

Starting in 2012, 5000-ton cruise ships will depart from Yeouido linking cities along the eastern coast of China. And in 2016, a 150-room floating hotel will be built on the Han River near an international commercial zone in Yongsan. Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced the plans at a press conference in Hong Kong on Monday, where he vowed to transform Seoul into a maritime tourism hub.

At the heart of the plan is a cruise ship and passenger line service departing from Yeouido and heading out into the West Sea via the Han River. To make this possible, the Seoul Metropolitan Government plans to build a 3,600 sq. m passenger terminal in Yeouido in 2011, when redevelopment of the Han River will be completed under the four rivers project and the Yanghwa and Haengju bridges will be modified to allow cruise ships to pass under them.

Starting in 2012, a 5,000-ton international cruise ship will depart from Yeouido capable of carrying 160 passengers in 44 rooms. It will house duty free shops, a performance hall, theater, gym and outdoor swimming pool, departing on three- to six-day tours to Shanghai, Qingdao, Weihai and other Chinese coastal cities and possibly later to Hong Kong, Macau and even Tokyo. A 2,000-3,000-ton domestic passenger ship will also dock at the Yeouido terminal.

Seoul city will hold an open bid next month to invite businesses to operate the cruises and choose one in April of next year.

"If the domestic and international cruises become a reality, Seoul will be reborn as a maritime tourism hub of Northeast Asia," Oh said. "We expect the Han River, which has been neglected as a tourism destination, to become a driving force behind our tourism industry," he said.