Foreign tourists use a tour guide terminal at the Daegu stadium where the 2011 World Athletics Championships are currently being held. / Courtesy of Korea Tourism Organization

By Lee Hyo-sik

Both Korean and non-Korean visitors to the southeastern city of Daegu where the 2011 World Athletics Championships are currently being held are easily able to obtain tourism information via tour guide terminals set up by the Korea Tourism Organization (KTO).

The state tourism promoter said the terminals, equipped with a high-definition touch screen, provide a wealth of information on hotels, popular tourist destinations and appropriate means of transportation in Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese.

Professional operators fluent in English, Japanese and Chinese at the TT Call Center answer questions directly via the terminals. The center is located at the KTO headquarters in downtown Seoul and offers 24-hour travel information.

``We installed the machines primarily in and around Daegu Stadium to help foreign athletes and tourists obtain relevant information, means of transportation and other travel-related matters. They have been such a useful tool for us to promote local tourism while foreigners are here to attend the championships,’’ a KTO official said.

The official said KTO will set up similar terminals near famous tourism spots across the country in the coming months.