Chinese Tourists Return... Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism Announces 'Aggressive Han Tourism Marketing'

Strengthening Travel Product Planning Review to Overcome Negative Perceptions of Korean Travel
Aggressive Marketing to Attract Chinese Tourists
Active Promotion in China
Focus on Promoting 'Cheongwadae Tourism Landmark Top 10'

As Chinese authorities resume group tours to Korea, the influx of Chinese tourists is expected to gain momentum. Since May, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has been preparing to welcome visitors by reinstating the visa-free transit system for Chinese group tourists in Jeju, and plans to take more substantial follow-up measures. First, new visa application centers will open in Beijing and Shenyang, and ferry operations connecting the two countries will resume from the 11th.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

First, measures will be strengthened to prevent negative perceptions of travel to Korea caused by indiscriminate low-cost tours. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, which had already tightened product planning capability assessments when designating dedicated Chinese travel agencies in March, plans to actively gather opinions from the tourism industry on the ground and prepare practical support measures.

Taking advantage of the resumption of Chinese group tours, aggressive marketing will also be launched. Targeting China’s largest holiday, the National Day holiday (September 29 to October 6), a K-Tourism Roadshow will be held. On September 13 and 15, B2B meetings between Korean and Chinese companies will be held in Beijing and Shanghai, respectively. On September 16 and 17, at the Shanghai Huanqiu Shopping Mall, K-beauty, fashion, shopping, and food tourism will be introduced to Chinese consumers in celebration of the ‘Year of Visit Korea.’ Regional tourism content from Jeju and Busan will also be actively promoted.

Minister Park Bo-gyun stated, “With the resumption of Chinese group tours, not only the tourism industry, which has suffered due to COVID-19, but also the aviation and distribution sectors are expected to receive new vitality. Taking the ‘2023-2024 Year of Visit Korea’ as an opportunity, we will unite public and private sector capabilities to make the Blue House tourism landmarks top 10 and various K-culture linked tourism products essential tourist attractions for Chinese visitors.”

Meanwhile, China’s full permission for its citizens to travel to Korea comes after more than six years since the ‘THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) retaliation’ that began in earnest around March 2017. Although the ban was briefly lifted nationwide in the second half of 2019, overseas group tours have been prohibited since January 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.