For the first time, the Major League Baseball (MLB) will host its regular season opener in Korea in 2024. This momentous occasion has spurred the creation of a new tour package of touring motherland and watch the opening MLB game which has garnered significant interest.
US Aju Tours, the pioneering Korean American tourism company in Los Angeles, has joined forces with the Dodgers’ fan club to gather tourists.
Pantone294 (pantone294.com), boasting the largest fan base of any LA Dodgers fan club, has collaborated with Aju Tours to introduce the “Let’s Go Dodgers, Seoul, Korea Takeover” tour. This package is designed around the opening two-game series in Seoul. Of the two available plan options, plan 1 is already fully booked, with only 4 spots remaining for plan 2 as of 12 p.m. September 5.
Riding on the success of their outreach to other ethnic groups, Aju Tours is now setting its sights on Korean Americans. The MLB regular season opener, scheduled for March 20-21, will witness the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres face off in two electrifying games at the Gocheok SkyDome in Seoul. This marks the ninth MLB opening game held outside of the US and Canada, and the third in Asia following Japan and Australia.
US Aju Tours is now promoting an MLB Seoul Opening Day package that includes the two-game series, aptly titled “Let’s Go to Seoul Opening Game.”
Helen Park, the Director of Aju Tours, remarked, “The Korean American community in the U.S. has often designed tour packages around World Cup matches in collaboration with the Korean Football Association. However, a motherland tour package for a Korean sporting event is a groundbreaking initiative in the Korean American travel industry.”
She continued, “We’re extending an invitation to Korean Americans to partake in this unique experience in Korea. Not only will they get to witness the opening games featuring teams like the Padres, home to Korean major leaguers Ha-Seong Kim and Ji Man Choi, and the Dodgers, who have a massive Korean American fan base in Los Angeles, but they’ll also get the opportunity to explore Seoul and its surrounding attractions.”
The tour will kick off from Los Angeles on March 17 and conclude on March 24, offering a comprehensive seven-night, eight-day itinerary, flying with a Korean-based airline. While tickets for the opening games are sold separately, Aju Tours promises to secure them for their clients.
Participants can look forward to the Seoul City Tour that includes visits to iconic landmarks such as the Blue House, Cheonggyecheon, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Bukchon Hanok Village, Insadong, Itaewon, Yongsan War Memorial, Namsan, the Gangnam area, Samseongdong COEX, Lotte Tower, and Seokchon Lake.
In addition, two tours of Gyeonggi’s tourist attractions will be held on a private bus with a guide, including visits to the Joint Security Area (DMZ) in Paju, Imjingak, and the Third Tunnel of Aggression. Optional activities include Yongin Korean Folk Village, Seoul Sky Tower, Han River Night View Cruise, and N Seoul Tower Observatory. On the return day, the group will also explore sightseeing spots near Incheon International Airport.
The package is priced at $2,499 per person, which includes flight charges. Reservations are open and can be made by calling 213-388-4000.
By NAKI PARK [naki@koreadaily.com]
