The first KoCTA  Conference: The Korea Culinary Tourism Association was a big success. We had a great turnout of people from the food and tourism industries such as the CEO of Crown Bakery: Yoon Young Dal, the Vice President of Seoul Tourism Association: Maureen O'Crowley, Jang Tae-pyeong, Ashley Cheeseman from the Grand Hilton, Benjamin Joineau of Le St. Ex Restaurant and many other people. The conference started out with an introduction of the goals that KoCTA hope to achieve and our vision for how we hope to make food the attraction and how this hands on approach will work to familiarize the world with Korean food. The president of KoCTA, Jia Choi PhD, started the conference with a welcoming speech and she was followed by a speech by Jang Tae-Pyeong: former Minister of Food, Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries about the future of culinary tourism and what it means for Korea. This was followed by speeches from Choi Soon-il, owner of Pub of the Blue Star and the food tou...

Korea Culinary Tourism Association KOTCA 1st Conference I am happy to announce that the first Culinary Tourism Association in Asia, KOCTA: The Korean Culinary Tourism Association will be having their first conference on Tuesday, August 30th at 4pm at the KTO Building near Myeongdong. At the conference we'll announce how Culinary Tourism can be used to promote Korean food overseas and how it can revitalize the tourism industry in Korea. Food is the attraction for many tourists to Korea and they need the proper direction and education in order to discover it. The KOCTA president, Jia Choi PhD, will announce our chapter to Korean press and the government ministry. She'll talk about the scope of culinary tourism and how it can benefit Korea. The keynote speaker will be Jang Tae-pyeong: a former Minister of Nongnimbu: Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. Erik Wolf, President of the ICTA: The International Culinary Tourism Association will speak via web conference. Eungumju ...