Seoul Offers Travel Vouchers to Irregular Workers
Seoul is now giving travel vouchers to 2,000 of the city's irregular workers – employees who are not guaranteed the rights companies are required to provide to regular workers, including health insurance and the national pension.
As of March, irregular workers in Seoul who make less than about $1,800 per month have been able to apply for a travel voucher worth 250,000 won, or about $220. The average cost of a two-day vacation within South Korea is about $350.
Seoul hopes to give irregular workers some time off as well as promote local tourism. Starting in the second half of 2019, workers will be able to use the vouchers to rent cars, reserve hotels, and buy tickets to attractions through a website.
The city government says there are about 900,000 irregular workers making less than $1,800 per month in Seoul. However, only 2,000 workers will be able to apply for the vouchers.
The vouchers are part of a four-year tourism plan that aims to bring in 50 million tourists by 2023. This year, Seoul hopes to attract 32.5 million tourists, including 13.5 million foreigners, and create over $28 billion in revenue. A record 13.5 million foreign tourists visited Seoul in 2016, but numbers have since dropped.
Popular two-day trips from Seoul include the one to Busan, which is famous for its shopping, beaches, and temples; Gyeongju, the old capital of South Korea; and Jeju Island, which is often called "the Hawaii of Korea."
In 2016, the city started offering the "Discover Seoul Pass" to foreign tourists, promoted by boy band BTS. In March 2019, Seoul will start offering an online service with information on restaurants and events, and the city is preparing 20 new tour routes with themes like food, history, and K-pop.
