ⓒ amuse travel

Now it’s time to take a look at a Korean business bringing about changes in the global economy with some new ideas. 

Today, we’re going to introduce Amuse Travel, a developer of customized tour packages for people with disabilities and mobility difficulties. Let’s hear from company CEO Oh Seo-yeon. 

Amuse Travel was established in October 2016 with the purpose of creating a favorable environment where anyone can travel easily and conveniently. Through our service, families, older people, and those who have disabilities can travel safely and comfortably. 

Oh always hoped to do something meaningful for society. While working as an office worker, he engaged in volunteer activities. But he thought it would not be enough. He decided to set up a travel agency for the socially disadvantaged, based on the idea floated by one of his acquaintances who did volunteering work with him. His company pursues barrier-free travel, in which physical and institutional barriers are removed so people with disabilities and those with mobility difficulties including the older people and the weak can travel freely without any restraint. 

For two years, Oh spent his private money worth 90-thousand dollars on some 80 tours with the disabled to develop travel packages that can be enjoyed by anyone. 

We’ve visited many locations so far and collected extensive data on some 100 tourist sites. The data includes information on slopes, ground conditions, the size of the facilities, whether there are stairs and whether restrooms are accessible by wheelchairs, including electric ones, at those sites. I’d wager to guess that we’ve collected such information from more than 40 percent of tourist sites in South Korea. Based on the data, our tour packages provide safer and more enjoyable travel courses tailored to those with special needs. 

The disabled and people with mobility problems find it difficult to use typical travel packages. The same is true of young children and pregnant women. Amuse Travel provides specialized tour packages for the vulnerable groups. For visually impaired tourists, for example, some packages provide something to smell, hear or touch, rather than to see, while a sign language interpreter accompanies the hearing impaired to deliver them travel information correctly. For people with developmental disabilities, the company offers travel services focused on experience programs. 

For rail biking at the Gimhae Nakdong River Rail Park, we help the physically challenged wear seat belts and provide them with more comfortable seats in cooperation with officials there. One of the most popular travel courses for blind people is Mulle-gil, “water road” in English, in Chuncheon. Tourists can enjoy canoes along the stretch of lakes. The lakeside city of Chuncheon is full of the sounds of nature, including running water and forests, wildlife and the peaceful sounds of people paddling that fill the air. Visually impaired tourists love these elements. And for rafting in Dong River, we’ve arranged a rafting route that can be easily accessed by disabled people. 

In addition to developing and providing tour packages, Amuse Travel has collected data about roads and tourist facilities for those who have difficulty in traveling. The company has secured some 100-thousand pieces of mobility information for vulnerable groups. The company uses the data for its own travel packages, of course. Through the data, it also seeks to contribute to expanding infrastructure needed for barrier-free travel. 

In fact, local governments show great interest in those data. The Korean government has carried out a project of renovating facilities at tourist sites since 2015 with the goal of enabling those with mobility difficulties to enjoy traveling. Thanks to government support and useful tour programs offered by startups like Amuse Travel, those who were previously reluctant to go out are making a brave attempt to take a trip. 

A family that traveled with older parents through our service told me that their older mother was very happy and pleased. In fact, the mother found her previous trip quite difficult, even saying that she wanted to die. But after using our tour package, she said she wanted to live longer, looking forward to the next trip. Also, a person with physical disabilities grabbed my hands and said, “Captain, it is so fun and great to travel with you. I hope there will be many more programs like this.” Although he didn’t say much, I found so much meaning in his words. 

The travel industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Amuse Travel was no exception. The company noticed older family members getting more psychologically exhausted, and it organized a new service called “care trip.” This service drew a positive response from users last year, enabling the company to post sales similar to those in previous years. That is, the company overcame the crisis together with people suffering from difficulties triggered by the pandemic. Now, Amuse Travel is dreaming of another leap forward. 

We hope to grow into a travel platform for those who are older to offer an easy and convenient travel environment not only in Korea but in Asia as well. I hope many more people will visit travel destinations, prompting the tourist sites to improve their infrastructure, including roads and facilities, in a way to provide easier access to the sites. With this mission in mind, we’ll push to explore both Korean and overseas markets, with the focus placed on Asia. 

Many people with physical difficulties hardly dare to travel. Amuse Travel hopes that people won’t give up on traveling just because of their physical limitations. The company is creating a world where the meaning and value of traveling can be shared and enjoyed by everyone. 

ⓒ amuse travel