Anticipated spread of Seoul’s Fair Travel value across the globe after being adopted as part of UNWTO’s official Programme of Work 2022.
Global promotion of “fair travel” message with support from global shared-accommodation brand, Airbnb, a company emphasizing the mutual benefit and exchange between tourists & local communities.
Generous awarding of prizes to winners, including Airbnb accommodation vouchers totaling 25,000US$.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government (hereinafter SMG) and Seoul Tourism Organization (President & CEO Ki-yon Kil, hereinafter STO) announced that the Global Fair & Sustainable Travel Contest will be supported by Airbnb and UNWTO.
Slated to start from July 21, the contest is officially realized with the participation of the UNWTO, as it was selected to be included in the Programme of Work 2022, a program realizing the core values of UNWTO.
In addition, global scale contest promotion amid a bolstering of the message of fair travel is in the works under the sponsorship of Airbnb, a company emphasizing the value of “Live Anywhere” while sharing in the idea of Fair Travel.
The Global Fair & Sustainable Travel Contest was created to spread the value of fair travel and to improve the awareness of responsible travel to global citizens. This is in response to the increase in importance and awareness of sustainable travel across the globe following the pandemic.
According to the results of the Economist survey commissioned by Airbnb, on travelers in the APAC region in 2022, 71.8% answered that they believe sustainable travel has become more important due to COVID-19. Furthermore, after the pandemic, the scope of travelers’ awareness of sustainable travel evolved to include both economic (46.7%) and social (41.3%) aspects, beyond that of just the environment, which had been the primary focus prior to the pandemic. This new demand for “conscious travel” practices as it pertains to the environment, economy, culture, and other aspects of local communities, is expected to rise.
STO signed an MOU with UNWTO in 2016, and continued various collaborative activities to realize sustainable travel, such as holding international forums on fair travel and conducting related promotional campaigns on a global scale.
The Global Fair & Sustainable Travel Contest will be held from July 21 to August 21, and entries can be submitted using either photos, video, or writing through the official website.
As there are no restrictions to join the contest, participants from all over the world who had experienced fair and sustainable travel can join this contest, and applications can be submitted not only by individuals, but also by organizations, e.g. institutions, schools, corporations, accommodations, and so on.
Individuals and organizations can register personal works in the form of pictures, video, or writing, having selected one of the three media forms, that captures one’s experience that resonates with the topic, “My Fair and Sustainable Travel.”
□ Contest winners will be generously awarded with prizes, such as Airbnb vouchers that can be used anywhere in the world, and the prize-winning work will be introduced globally on the official Seoul tourism brand platform, Visit Seoul (visitseoul.net), as well as other official channels, UNWTO newsletters, and so on.
The winner among group entries will receive Airbnb accommodation vouchers valued at 15,000US$, while the winner among individual entries will receive Airbnb accommodation vouchers valued at 10,000US$, which can be used within the value of the coupons at any global accommodations registered at Airbnb.
E-gift cards valued at 300US$ will be awarded to up to 28 works displaying excellence from individuals, or organizations, with as many as 70 e-gift cards worth 100US$ set to be awarded to other runner-up works as well.
□ STO anticipates the contest to contribute to insight development on the awareness of global tourists on fair and sustainable travel in the post-COVID era and share their findings with members of UNWTO in key official events.
○ Once the contest has drawn to a close, STO will summarize the results and acquired insight, and present the relevant information on the international stage, including an official UNWTO event. This information will then be shared with global members on the UNWTO members’ website and newsletters, as well.
○ All works displaying excellence that were honored with being awarded will be shared globally through the official Visit Seoul website and other official Seoul tourism channels. The works will also be used in a variety of ways for the promotion and marketing of fair and sustainable travel.
□ Recently, on June 27, STO signed an MOU with Airbnb to realize the value of sustainable tourism, and with this contest working as a starting point, it is planning to continue further collaborative activities to revitalize Seoul tourism in various areas.
○ STO and Airbnb are planning to collaborate over the long term for the support and expansion of Seoul’s lodging industry and for the mutual benefit of the local community, while also collaborating in various areas, such as for the promotion of resource development to preemptively respond to the recovery of Seoul tourism demand in the post-COVID era and secure potential global tourism demand.
□ STO Global Marketing Team Director, Heayjin Lee, said, “Global travelers started placing greater importance on values, such as safety, fairness, and sustainability after the pandemic,” and reflected her aspiration by adding, “I hope that we will be able to share the future look on tourism that is expected and seen by global tourists through this contest, and also hope that Seoul will be able to secure a more responsible role and a stronger brand on the international stage.”
□ Details about the contest can be found on the website for Global Fair & Sustainable Travel Contest (www.sustainable-travel.biz) and the official website for Seoul tourism, Visit Seoul (visitseoul.net).
○ Further contest inquiries can be made to the contest secretariat at the following email address: myfair.sustainable@gmail.com.
