China’s Visa-Free Policy Fuels Surge in South Korean Group Tours
Seoul, November 8, 2024 – The Chinese government’s recent announcement of a visa-free policy for South Korean citizens has sparked a significant surge in demand for group tours to China.
According to InterparkTour, a major South Korean travel e-commerce platform, bookings for group tours to China increased by 91% from November 1st to 5thcompared to the previous period. The number of reservations also saw a 60% jump during the same timeframe. These figures stand in stark contrast to the overall growth in group tour bookings, which saw a 14% and 18% increase in reservations and bookings respectively. This disparity clearly indicates a heightened interest in group tours to China.
Further evidence of this trend comes from Ctrip, a leading Chinese travel platform. Their international version reported a staggering 134% increase inflight ticket bookings from South Korea to China between November 2nd and 5th.
The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on November 1st that it would be expanding its visa-free policy to include South Korea, among other countries, as part of efforts to facilitate international travel. The new policy, effective from November8th, 2024, to December 31st, 2025, allows citizens of these countries to enter China for business, tourism, visiting family and friends, or transit purposes for a maximum of 15 days without a visa.
This move is expected to have a significantpositive impact on the tourism industry in China, particularly in regions popular with South Korean tourists. Travel agencies are already reporting a surge in inquiries and bookings, with many tour packages focusing on popular destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Xi’an.
The visa-free policy is anticipated to further strengthen the economic and cultural tiesbetween China and South Korea, fostering greater people-to-people exchanges and boosting tourism revenue on both sides.
References:
- Yonhap News Agency (2024, November 8). China’s visa-free policy fuels surge in South Korean group tours. Retrieved from [link to original article]
- Interpark Tour (2024, November 8). [Link to Interpark Tour press release or relevant data]
- Ctrip (2024, November 8). [Link to Ctrip press release or relevant data]
- Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China (2024,November 1). [Link to official announcement]
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