|
News agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported Sunday that Korean tourists who are not deterred by recent terrorist attacks have been reinvigorating a Filipino resort that was attacked by an Al-Qaeda affiliated terrorist group and had dropped off in popularity as a result. Dos Palmas is a Filipino resort famous for white sand, blue, crystal-clean sea, palm trees and unique rocks and cliffs. The island is located on Arreceffi Island of Palawan in the western Philippines. In May of 2001, armed terrorists of Abu Sayyaf, an affiliate organization of Al-Qaeda, attacked the island and took 20 tourists hostage. They killed two Americans.
Due to the incident, the number of tourists to the island drastically decreased. The island was closed for six months until the end of 2001. Dos Palmas is reviving, however, as Korean tourists throng there. Last year, 1500 Korean tourists visited the island. From January to July in this year, 1300 Koreans made a trip to the island, accounting for 70 percent of total tourists there. In terms of tourist numbers, Koreans have taken first place.
AFP wrote that Koreans either are not aware of the terrorist attack or do not mind terrorist attacks. A Korean teacher said in an interview with AFP, ¡°It is not a problem for me. Terrorist attacks may happen everywhere.¡± The number of tourists to Dos Palmas has grown at a rate of 42.8 percent from a year earlier, recovering to a pre-terrorist attack level.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
