Jeju Island, South Korea, home of eight foreigner-only casinos, should look beyond Mainland China and its high rollers for revenue, says Yoon Tae-Hwan, a professor of hotel management at Busan’s Dong-Eui University.
Speaking at the Jeju International Casino Policy Forum, Yoon said Jeju and its resort attractions should broaden their appeal to bring in international travelers and mass-market gamblers.
The reasons are simple. As reported by GGRAsia, Yoon said competition in the region is about to increase, especially if Japan’s proposed integrated resorts (IRs) are approved, built and open by 2030, as expected. In that scenario, he said, Jeju casinos might “suffer severe setbacks.”
Yoon advised gaming and tourism officials on the island to expand their casino hotels in the style of IRs, with a host of non-gaming attractions; promote South Korea’s sophisticated IT and smart-technology infrastructure as an incentive for travelers; and consolidate the smaller island casinos as it moves toward an IR model.
Of Jeju’s eight foreigner-only casinos, three are still closed, including the Jeju Oriental Hotel and Casino; the Gongzi Casino; and the Megaluck Casino, run by Hong Kong-listed New Silkroad Culturaltainment Ltd.
