Visa-free group travel and summit diplomacy spark optimism for a revival of the ‘China boom’
Following the recent Korea-China summit, relations between the two countries are showing signs of improvement—breathing new life into Korea’s tourism, casino, and beauty industries.
The combination of the newly implemented visa-free entry for Chinese group tourists and the bilateral summit held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meeting has created what many are calling a “warm breeze” for the Korean market.
Since the visa-free program took effect on September 29, expectations for recovery in the domestic travel industry have been growing. “There wasn’t much immediate change when the policy first launched, but since the news of President Xi Jinping’s possible visit to Korea, the atmosphere has completely shifted,” said a representative from a travel agency specializing in Chinese group tours. “We’re now ramping up efforts to attract large-scale incentive and corporate group travelers numbering in the thousands.”
Luxury hotels in Seoul, accommodations near airports, and casino resorts in Jeju are all expressing optimism about a potential increase in Chinese visitors. A representative from a five-star hotel in Seoul said, “For now, we expect a rise in individual travelers rather than group tours. But if the restrictions on Korean cultural content (the so-called Hallyu ban) are eased, we anticipate a long-term rebound in business travel as well.”
Meanwhile, the number of Koreans traveling to China is also rebounding quickly. Since China lifted visa requirements for Korean visitors last November, demand for trips to China has continued to rise. According to Hana Tour, China’s share of total overseas package tours increased from 6.7% in the first quarter of last year to 10.7% in the first quarter of this year, reaching 18.8% in the third quarter.
Modetour also reported a 17% year-on-year increase in China bookings from January to September, with reservations from October to early November up 45%. “With the positive diplomatic momentum from the Korea-China summit, we expect travel demand to China to expand further in the fourth quarter,” said a Modetour spokesperson. “We’re preparing a wide range of offerings, from free travel to premium tour packages.”
Online travel platform Nol Universe reported a 61% year-on-year surge in ticket sales for flights from Korea to China between January and October. “Previously, tours centered around scenic destinations favored by middle-aged travelers,” said a Nol Universe official, “but recently, we’ve seen growing demand among younger tourists for independent trips to major cities like Beijing and Shanghai.”