Korean Media: South Korean Tourists to China Up 105% During Summer Vacation
According to Korea's JoongAng Daily (Japanese edition), reported on June 8: Amid rising oil prices and a strong U.S. dollar, South Korean travelers are increasingly turning toward China. Flights to China take approximately three hours, and accommodation costs are relatively low.
According to Mode Tour statistics, the number of South Korean tourists traveling to China reached 19,556 in April, a 31% increase compared to the same period last year. Demand for holiday bookings from July to August surged 105% compared to the previous year. For travel agencies, overseas trip reservations during July–August represent the highest level of the entire year. This year, trips to China accounted for 22.2%, followed by Japan at 17.4%, Vietnam at 14.5%, and Europe at 12.5%.
The sharp rise in visitors heading to China is mainly attributed to South Koreans being granted visa-free entry starting November 2024.
According to Yanorja Research, last year 3.17 million South Korean tourists visited China, up 37% from 2.31 million the year before. Meanwhile, visits to Japan by South Korean tourists increased by only 5% during the same period.
An additional reason is the rising cost and price of long-haul flights due to soaring fuel prices. For example, Korean Air’s round-trip fuel surcharge for routes to the U.S. East Coast in June amounted to 902,800 KRW—over seven times higher than the 123,000 KRW surcharge for short-haul flights to Japan and China.
South Korean tourists visiting China are primarily drawn to natural attractions such as Zhangjiajie and the Taihang Mountains. However, in recent years, urban tourism and food tours have become increasingly popular among younger travelers. Videos of Chinese city travel shared on social media platforms have also played a significant promotional role.
In response, South Korea’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport revealed that during the Sino-Korean air passenger negotiations held in Seoul on June 27–28, both governments agreed to significantly increase transportation capacity. This move aims to address the fact that passenger numbers between the two countries reached 4.39 million during the first quarter of this year (January–March).
Currently, the number of round-trip passengers in the first quarter has already surpassed the pre-pandemic peak of 4.14 million recorded in January–March 2019.
Under the new aviation agreement, flights will expand from 608 weekly flights to 664 weekly flights.
Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867382482180108/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.