▲ Photo Courtesy : Jeju Tourism Organization

To improve services for Russian tourists local authorities are providing Russian language classes for employees in the tourism industry. The classes are being held three times a week over four months and are in response to Russian tourists doubling over the last year.

A Jeju Halla University professor and native Russian will be taking the classes, organized by Jeju Special Self-Governing Province and Jeju Tourism Organization to improve services for Russian tourists who are now the second biggest group after the Chinese.

The increase in Russian tourists follows the Korea-Russia No-visa Agreement which has been effective since June 12, coupled with direct flights from Khabarovsk, Russia. Between January and June 454 Russian tourists were welcomed, more than double the 224 welcomed the year before.

Russia is ranked fifth in producing outbound tourists and their holidays are twice as long as the average, spending more than any other nationality at 1,932 US dollars per person.

Students in the classes include various workers from the tourism field including medical and marime tourism and hoteliers.