An estimated 230,000 to 250,000 Chinese tourists are expected to flock to Korea during the Lunar New Year period, a 52 percent surge from last year, according to market research firm China Trading Desk on Friday.
The surge comes after Korea’s rise past Japan as the top outbound destination for the neighboring country during the Feb. 15-23 holiday period known as Chun Jie, or the Spring Festival, a major cultural celebration marking the start of the lunar calendar.
Japan, a long-favored destination for Chinese tourists, is expected to see arrivals nose-dive by more than 60 percent due to growing political tensions and safety concerns in certain regions.
The rise in interest is driven by Seoul's temporary visa waiver program for Chinese tourists, which allows three or more Chinese tourists on group tours to travel to South Korea without visas for as many as 15 days. The move is intended to boost the nation's tourism market. A relatively weak won, growing interest in Korean culture and expanded flight routes have also driven interest, the analysis explained.
"Korea’s major destinations such as Seoul, Busan and Jeju Island are increasingly viewed as high-value travel options for shopping and dining," said China Trading Desk CEO Subramania Bhatt. "Also, the weaker won has made Korea particularly attractive to Chinese travelers."
Approximately 1,330 flights will operate between Korea and China during the nine-day holiday, up about 25 percent from the same period last year, according to aviation data firm Cirium.
junheee@heraldcorp.com
